United States intel agency warns of complex threats from China, Russia, North Korea and Iran | DEETS

US intelligence news: The Office of the Director of National Intelligence, US released its annual threat assessment for 2023 on Wednesday (March 8), which warned of threats to the US from China, Russia, North Korea and Iran. The report also warned of global challenges such as climate change and evolving technologies that could have the potential to “disrupt” traditional business and society while creating “unprecedented vulnerabilities”.

The United States is expected to face a “complex” security environment and will have to work to meet two “critical” strategic challenges: emerging powers, such as China, seeking dominance in the global order, the US intelligence community assessed.

“These two strategic challenges will intersect and interact in unpredictable ways, leading to mutually reinforcing effects that can test our ability to respond, but also provide new opportunities to forge collective action with allies and partners, including non-state actors,” the statement said. report stated.

As for China, the US intelligence community said the Chinese Communist Party will continue its efforts to make China the “preeminent power in East Asia and a major power on the world stage.” Officials said in their report that during his third term, Chinese President Xi Jinping will try to pressure Taiwan for unification and will try to “undermine US influence” by driving “wedges between Washington and its partners.” The Chinese community warned that the People’s Republic of China is using “coordinated government tools” to assert sovereignty over Taiwan. Reports warned China could build on its actions from 2022, and include more centerline crossings of the Taiwan Strait or missile overflights of Taiwan.

Officials also warned that if China succeeds in taking control of Taiwan, it would have “broad consequences, including disruption to global semiconductor chip supply chains as Taiwan dominates advanced chip production.” domestic defense production capabilities for weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and advanced conventional weapons. The intelligence community also warned that China is building hundreds of new ICBM silos. “Beijing is concerned that bilateral tensions, nuclear modernization in the US and the PLA’s advancing conventional capabilities have increased the likelihood of a US first strike,” the report said.

“Beijing’s heightened confidence in its nuclear deterrent is likely to bolster its resolve and intensify conventional conflict.” And with regard to cyber and technology, the US intelligence community rates China as representing the “broadest, most active, and persistent cyber-espionage threat to the US.” Government and private sector networks. Officials warn that China is “capable of launching cyberattacks that could disrupt critical infrastructure services in the United States, including against oil and gas pipelines and rail systems.”

“China is a world leader in using surveillance and censorship to monitor its population and suppress dissent,” the report says. individuals it sees as threats—to counter viewpoints it sees as critical of the CCP’s narratives, policies, and actions. Russia warned U.S. intelligence that Moscow will continue to “remain a formidable and less predictable challenge to the United States in key areas over the next decade, but will still face a range of constraints.”

“Russia probably doesn’t want a direct military conflict with US and NATO forces, but there is a possibility that will happen,” the intelligence community said. “Russian leaders have so far avoided taking actions that would extend the conflict in Ukraine beyond Ukraine’s borders, but the risk of escalation remains significant.” and joint exercises, and diplomacy, where each country has used its veto power in the UN Security Council against US interests.”

And while China poses one of the greatest threats to U.S. national security, officials said Russia also “poses one of the most serious foreign influence threats to the United States,” due to its intelligence and influence tools seeking to sow discord in the U.S. and the U.S. influence voters and decision-making. Officials said Iran will continue to threaten American people directly and through proxy attacks, particularly in the Middle East, and remains committed to developing “surrogate networks within the United States, a goal it has been pursuing. Officials say Iran” is not currently undertaking the major nuclear weapons development activities that would be required to produce a testable nuclear device,” but warned that Tehran has “accelerated the expansion of its nuclear program.” Tehran won’t get relief from sanctions, Iranian officials likely to consider uranium to 90 percent,” the report states. Iran also poses a “major threat.” o U.S. networks and data, because of its capabilities and willingness to conduct “aggressive cyber operations.” United States and its allies by continuing to invest in niche capabilities ities” designed to provide Kim Jong Un with a “range of options to deter outside intervention, offset lingering shortcomings in the country’s conventional forces, and advance Kim Jong Un remains “strongly committed” to expanding the North Korea’s nuclear arsenal and maintaining nuclear weapons as a “centerpiece of its national security fabric,” the report states. Officials also warned that North Korea’s chemical or biological weapons “remain a threat.”

The report said the intelligence community is “concerned” that North Korea “could use such weapons during conflict or in an unconventional or clandestine attack.” The intelligence community said COVID “remains one of the most significant threats to global public health, costing more than 6.5 million lives lost and trillions of dollars in lost economic output to date.” “Countries worldwide remain vulnerable to the emergence or introduction of a new pathogen that could trigger a devastating new pandemic,” the report said.

As for the origins of COVID-19, the report states that the intelligence community is “continuing to investigate” how COVID first infected people. US citizens and US interests “at home and abroad” will face a “persistent and increasingly diverse threat” of terrorism Individuals and cells espousing ideologies espoused by ISIS, Al-Qaeda or the transnational movement Racially or Ethnically Motivated Violent Extremists (RMVE) pose a significant terrorist threat to U.S. persons, facilities and interests. ”, the report states. It said Iran and Lebanese Hezbollah “remain committed to carrying out terrorist attacks and may attempt to do so on US soil.” “continue to inspire attacks”, including in the US. With regard to Al Qaeda, the IC ruled that the threat posed by the terrorist organization in Afghanistan “will depend on the Taliban”.

(with ANI inputs)

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