China continues to pose the most significant military and cyber threat to the United States, according to the latest report from U.S. intelligence agencies released Tuesday.
The report highlighted China’s “steady but uneven” advancements in military and technological capabilities, including efforts aimed at potentially seizing control of Taiwan.
The annual threat assessment outlined China’s capacity to launch conventional attacks against the U.S., compromise American infrastructure through cyber operations, and target U.S. assets in space. Additionally, the report noted Beijing’s ambition to surpass the U.S. as the global leader in artificial intelligence by 2030.
The report also identified Russia, Iran, North Korea, and China as key actors working to challenge U.S. dominance through deliberate strategies. It pointed to Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine as offering Moscow valuable insights into countering Western military equipment and intelligence during large-scale conflict.
In testimony before the Senate Intelligence Committee, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard described China as the most capable strategic competitor to the U.S. She emphasized that China’s military is deploying cutting-edge capabilities, including hypersonic missiles, stealth aircraft, advanced submarines, and enhanced cyber and space warfare tools — along with expanding its nuclear arsenal.
The report warned that China’s People’s Liberation Army is likely to use large language models to generate disinformation, impersonate individuals, and support cyberattack operations.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe also addressed concerns over China’s limited efforts to stem the export of precursor chemicals used to manufacture fentanyl, a key factor in the ongoing U.S. overdose crisis. Ratcliffe attributed China’s hesitation to intervene to its reluctance to disrupt profitable Chinese businesses.
In response, President Donald Trump has imposed a 20% tariff on all Chinese imports, citing Beijing’s failure to curb fentanyl-related exports. China has denied any role in the fentanyl crisis, which has become a major point of tension between the two nations.
“China could take action against fentanyl precursor shipments but chooses not to,” Ratcliffe stated.
Meanwhile, Liu Pengyu, a spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Washington, dismissed the report, accusing the U.S. of exaggerating the China threat to justify maintaining military dominance.
“China remains committed to peace, stability, and global progress while firmly safeguarding our sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity,” Liu said. He also pointed out that fentanyl abuse is a domestic issue the U.S. needs to address internally.
