Chinese observers scrutinized the latest U.S. intelligence report, labeling it as part of the country’s cognitive warfare against designated “competitors” and “rivals,” indicating Washington’s reluctance to acknowledge waning U.S. supremacy.
The 2024 edition of the annual threat assessment report of the U.S. intelligence community, presented to Congress on Monday, raised concerns over an “increasingly fragile world order,” citing great power competition, transnational challenges, and regional conflicts.
Li Haidong, a professor at the China Foreign Affairs University, remarked that the report reflects the U.S.’ internal fragility and weakened leadership, projecting its own situation onto the international order.
Chinese analysts criticized the report as politically motivated, serving U.S. geopolitical interests with partial claims, exaggerations, and distortions. Lü Xiang, a U.S. studies expert at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, highlighted the report’s contradiction in depicting China both as a threat and as ultimately destined to fail, reflecting U.S. policy confusion towards China.
The report’s mention of TikTok and its alleged influence on U.S. elections exemplifies U.S. hysteria, juxtaposed with its campaign on the same platform by President Joe Biden. The accusation of China’s support for Russia and its handling of the Ukraine crisis was dismissed by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin as a diversion from U.S. geopolitical goals.
Regarding the Gaza conflict, the report suggested Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s leadership as precarious and raised concerns about heightened terrorist threats within the U.S., illustrating the multifaceted challenges faced by the U.S.
Li analyzed the report as a means to rally domestic consensus behind the Biden administration’s policies and signal allies to align with U.S. interests against perceived threats. He criticized the report for lacking a truthful assessment and instead serving as a call to action to maintain U.S. dominance.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi questioned the U.S.’ confidence and commitment to international fairness, suggesting that the U.S.’ obsession with containing China would ultimately undermine its own interests.