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By: Express Web Desk | New Delhi |
Updated: December 7, 2020 8:50:47 am
Chinese soldiers marching in during the opening ceremony of Sixth India China joint Training Exercise, Exercise Hand-in-Hand 2016 at parade ground in Aundh Milittary Camp on Wednesday. Express Photo by Arul Horizon, 16-11-2016, PuneChina has conducted tests on members of its military with the aim of creating a legion of biologically enhanced soldiers, the United States’ national intelligence chief said in a recent Wall Street Journal editorial.
President Donald Trump’s Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe has warned that China “poses the greatest threat to America today”. “The intelligence is clear: Beijing intends to dominate the US and the rest of the planet economically, militarily and technologically,” he wrote in the Wall Street Journal.
DNI Ratcliffe tells @CBS_Herridge that China is using blackmail, bribery and covert influence to target members of Congress and make sure “only laws that are favorable to China are passed” pic.twitter.com/3hQ23hXvtF
— Catherine Herridge (@CBS_Herridge) December 3, 2020
“Many of China’s major public initiatives and prominent companies offer only a layer of camouflage to the activities of the Chinese Communist Party,” he said. Ratcliffe added that China had gone to great lengths to turn its vision into a reality.
“US intelligence shows that China has even conducted human testing on members of the People’s Liberation Army in hope of developing soldiers with biologically enhanced capabilities,” he wrote, claiming that there we’re no “ethical boundaries” to Beijing’s pursuit of power.
Ratcliffe’s editorial comes amidst rising tensions between the two superpowers. President Trump has repeatedly blamed China for the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, which originated in Wuhan. The Trump administration has also imposed tariffs on Chinese goods and accused Beijing of property theft.
Earlier this week, Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying accused the US of “launching various political oppressive campaigns against China”. She said this came “out of strong ideological bias and a strategy to contain China”.
In his editorial, Ratcliffe said analysts and officials within the country’s intelligence agency may have to shift their focus from Russia and counter-terrorism efforts. “Today we must look with clear eyes at the facts in front of us, which make plain that China should be America’s primary national security focus going forward,” he wrote.
Ratcliffe’s position will soon be filled by Avril Haines, President-elect Joe Biden’s pick for the top National Intelligence Agency post. Aides previously served as the deputy director of the Central Intelligence Agency.