[Central News Agency] The annual threat report of the US intelligence community pointed out that Chinese President Xi Jinping, entering his third term, will continue to exert pressure on Taiwan in the next few years, seek to unify Taiwan, and try to weaken the influence of the United States.

The U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) submitted its annual threat assessment report to Congress today. The report warned about the threats posed to the United States by China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran. It also mentioned the impact of climate change, health security and other threats on national security.

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When it comes to China, the report said that the Chinese Communist Party will continue to work hard to realize Xi Jinping's vision and make China a major force in East Asia and the world stage.

As Xi enters his third term, the CCP will press Taiwan to move toward unification, weaken U.S. influence, divide the U.S. and its partnerships, and establish norms that favor its authoritarian regime.

And seek to reduce tensions with Washington when it suits its interests.

The report pointed out that Beijing regards the increasingly fierce competition between the United States and China as part of an epoch-making geopolitical shift, and believes that Washington's diplomatic, economic, military and technological measures against Beijing are to prevent China's rise and undermine the rules of the Communist Party of China.

Beijing will continue to strengthen its military power through economics, technology, and diplomacy in order to strengthen the CCP’s rule, ensure sovereign territory and regional advantages, and pursue global influence.

But the report also cited domestic and international challenges facing China, including an aging population, high corporate debt, economic inequality, and China's resistance to the actions of Taiwan and other countries, which may hinder the ambitions of the Communist Party's leaders.

The report notes that the Chinese government has used a show of strength to coerce regional neighbors to acquiesce to its preferences, including claims to sovereignty over territory, sea and airspace, and Taiwan.

Talking about Taiwan, the report pointed out that in 2023, Beijing will continue to exert pressure and may provide incentives for Taiwan to move towards reunification, and will also respond to the increase in US-Taiwan contacts.

Beijing claims that the U.S. uses Taiwan as a "pawn" to undermine China's rise, and will take further actions against U.S. support for Taiwan based on the 2022 action, including more military planes crossing the center line of the strait or launching missiles over Taiwan.

The report fears that if Beijing succeeds in its goal of gaining control of Taiwan, there will be widespread repercussions, including damage to the global supply chain for semiconductor chips, as Taiwan dominates the production of cutting-edge chips.

In the South China Sea, the report pointed out that Beijing will continue to use the air force, navy, coast guard and militia to continue to intimidate competitors and try to assert effective control over the disputed area.

China also used similar tactics to put pressure on Japan in the East China Sea.

(Editor: Chen Zhengjian) 1120309