China blasts new US defense strategy

China has denounced the United States government for its Cold War and zero-sum mentality as reflected in its new national defense strategy.


The 2018 US National Defense Strategy (NDS) unveiled on Friday named China and Russia as top threats to the US, just like the US National Security Strategy did last month.

"We face growing threats from revisionist powers as different as China and Russia are from each other. Nations that do seek to create a world consistent with their authoritarian models," Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Friday.

The unclassified version of the NDS released to the public singled out China and Russia multiple times.

"China is a strategic competitor using predatory economics to intimidate its neighbors while militarizing features in the South China Sea," the NDS said. "It is increasingly clear that China and Russia want to shape a world consistent with their authoritarian model -- gaining veto authority over other nations' economic, diplomatic, and security decisions."

The NDS claimed that China is leveraging military modernization, influence operations, and predatory economics to coerce neighboring countries to reorder the Indo-Pacific region to their advantage. "Long-term strategic competitions with China and Russia are the principal priorities for the Department," the NDS said.
 (chinamedia)
 20/1/18