CHICAGO (CBS) — Chinese language officers proceed to construct their navy, which is already the biggest on the earth, and has threatened to make use of its fleet to invade Taiwan, an vital American ally, amid escalating pressure between the U.S. and China over Taiwan.
This comes whilst Russia’s warfare towards Ukraine rages on, leaving the query of which nation is a much bigger concern for the U.S., each within the quick time period and long-term.
U.S. Rep. Darrin LaHood (R-Illinois), who sits on the Home Choose Committee on the Chinese language Communist Celebration and the Home Everlasting Choose Committee on Intelligence, informed CBS Information Chicago that China “positively” considerations him extra.
“Make no mistake about it. China has a plan to switch america. They need to change us technologically, militarily, economically, and diplomatically, they usually’re engaged on it each single day,” he mentioned.
LaHood mentioned China’s actions won’t be as overt as Russia, which has invaded Ukraine, and whose president has been linked by U.S. intelligence to the killings of political rivals. Nevertheless, he mentioned they seem to be a risk to the U.S. “in many alternative methods.”
“They’re doing it associated to their espionage, associated to their stealing of mental property. They’re doing it on issues like producing the precursors of fentanyl that go to Mexico after which come to america. So these are all issues that now we have been targeted on and have to proceed to be targeted on,” he mentioned.
The congressman mentioned the ruling Chinese language Communist Celebration cannot be trusted.
“China performs by a unique algorithm and requirements than each different industrialized nation on the earth. They cheat, they lie, they have been deceitful in many alternative methods. That is not simply the U.S. saying that. That is our allies within the area and in Europe saying that,” he mentioned.
LaHood mentioned the issue is the U.S. has a robust financial relationship with China, as a result of the 2 nations are the world’s two largest economies.
“We’re intertwined at each degree. So, totally different than successful the Chilly Warfare, the place we did not have an financial relationship, we do with China, and that is the dilemma that we’re in in some ways, is how do you discover that steadiness holding them accountable?” he mentioned.
