Chinese Communist Party Tops US Intelligence’s Worldwide Threat Assessment

Chinese military vehicles carrying DF-41 ballistic missiles roll past the Great Hall of the People during a parade to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the founding of communist China, in Beijing on Oct. 1, 2019. AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein

The regime in China poses the leading challenge to U.S. national security, followed by Russia, Iran, and North Korea, in the annual threat assessment report compiled by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

“Beijing, Moscow, Tehran, and Pyongyang have demonstrated the capability and intent to advance their interests at the expense of the United States and its allies, despite the pandemic,” according to the report (pdf) published on April 13. “China increasingly is a near-peer competitor, challenging the United States in multiple arenas—especially economically, militarily, and technologically—and is pushing to change global norms.”