Blinken: China aspires to become the "dominant power" in the world

US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said Thursday that China seeks to become the "dominant power" in the world at the expense of the United States, repeating Beijing's warning against creating tension over Taiwan.

While a number of American presidents have previously considered China to be the most prominent strategic challenge to the United States in the long term, American analysts believe that Beijing seeks to limit Washington's influence in Asia more than it seeks solutions in its place on the international scene.

In response to a question about China's intentions during a forum held by The Atlantic magazine, Blinken said, "I think what it wants is to become the dominant power in the world, militarily, economically, and diplomatically."

He added, "This is what (Chinese President) Xi Jinping seeks," who has been leading the country for more than ten years.

He continued, "This is not surprising. China has an amazing history... I believe that if you see and listen to Chinese leaders, they are seeking to regain what they believe is their rightful place in the world."
Blinken previously spoke of a Chinese desire to “rewrite the global order.”

The administration of President Joe Biden has adopted a two-faced approach towards China, stressing that it represents a strategic challenge to it and carefully monitoring its actions, but it has strengthened dialogue with it on several issues with the aim of better managing the tension between them. Officials from the two countries held high-level meetings with a third party during the past months, while Blinken made a rare visit to Beijing in June.

The contentious issues vary between the two countries, the most prominent of which is Taiwan, the autonomous island that China considers an integral part of its territory and pledges to return by force if necessary. Beijing has increased its pressure on the island in recent months, especially by intensifying military maneuvers in its vicinity.

Blinken said concerns about Taiwan were "exceptionally high" because of its contribution to the global economy, including semiconductor production.

He continued, "If there is a crisis regarding Taiwan as a result of Chinese steps, we will be facing a global economic crisis... I think that the message that China is increasingly hearing from different countries around the world is do not cause problems."

He stressed, "We want, everyone wants, peace and stability, and everyone wants to maintain the status quo."

On the other hand, the US State Department said in a report Thursday that China is spending billions of dollars for the purpose of “media disinformation” internationally, warning that this may lead to restrictions on freedom of expression in various places around the world.

The report considered that "China's global manipulation of information is not only a matter of public diplomacy (pursued by Beijing), but rather a challenge to the credibility of the information field."

She warned that if this matter was not confronted, “Beijing’s efforts could produce a future in which technology exported by the People’s Republic of China, entrenched local governments, and fear of a direct response from Beijing cause a sharp curtailment of global freedom of expression.”

The report accused Beijing of spending billions annually to "manipulate information" through propaganda, media disinformation, and censorship, in exchange for promoting positive news about China and the ruling Communist Party.

He pointed out that China, in return, is suppressing information that contradicts its view on thorny issues such as Taiwan, human rights, and its slowing domestic economy.

He believed that China's approach to misinformation includes promoting "digital tyranny," exploiting international organizations, and imposing control over Chinese-speaking media.