China Castigates U.S. Over Provocative Report Pondering Dual Fronts with Russia.
In a potent rebuke to a U.S. Congressional Commission report contemplating hypothetical concurrent wars with Russia and China, Beijing, through its authoritative mouthpiece, the Global Times, has articulated a vigorous warning to the United States. The adage, “Those who play with fire will perish by it,” underscored China’s stark communication following the report’s publication, as conveyed by Newsweek.
U.S. Report Exposes Perceived Nuclear Parity Timeline
The scrutinized report, cited extensively by Newsweek, emanates from a bipartisan effort within the U.S. Congressional Commission and underscores a purported deficiency in U.S. preparedness against the escalating nuclear potential presented by both China and Russia. The 145-page document, a collaborative endeavour by Democrats and Republicans, delineates a narrative of a “militarily troubling and increasingly aggressive” stance perpetuated by both nations and anticipates that China might realize nuclear parity with the United States by the mid-2030s.
Beijing Denounces U.S. Assessment via Global Times
The state-affiliated Global Times has showcased the potential for conflict with the U.S. prominently in its dissemination, explicitly denouncing the bipartisan report as imprudent. As per Newsweek, the report was denounced for advocating “a nuclear arms race under the guise of ‘deterrence,'” and lambasted as a “catastrophic regression in history.” Moreover, the U.S. report, from a Chinese vantage point articulated by Newsweek, is criticized for amplifying the threat from China and for the alleged underlying malevolent U.S. intentions that engender a hostile climate.
China’s Persistent Caution to U.S. Regarding Taiwan
This piquant response from China is not without precedent. The relation between China and the U.S. has been on a downward trajectory, particularly amidst the strained milieu surrounding Taiwan, as additional reports in the Global Times—referred to by Newsweek—have outlined. In this context, China has overtly warned of repercussions emanating from U.S. support for Taiwan.
Image: kremlin.ru, Putin-Xi press conference (2023), CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (image size modified)