In a concerted effort to curb Iranian sway in the Middle East, the Pentagon underscores that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) constitutes the principal strategic adversary of the United States. High-ranking U.S. military officials have pointed out that the region is becoming a competitive arena involving major powers such as the United States, China, and Russia.
On Feb. 2, the United States conducted operations targeting 85 facilities across Iraq and Syria associated with the Iranian military and allied militant groups. The strikes, aimed at command and intelligence centers, as well as depots for rockets, missiles, drones, and ammunition, represented a countermeasure to the recent deaths of three American soldiers in Jordan, attributed to militant actions.
These preemptive actions were focused on bases situated in the remote expanses of Iraq and Syria, deliberately avoiding Iranian soil to minimize the risk of escalation. The United States also took steps to provide advance warnings, potentially to reduce Iranian casualties.
The CCP: America’s Foremost Strategic Challenger
Parallel to the bombardment of Iranian-backed militias, Scott Berrier, the outgoing director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, highlighted, during his farewell, the strategic rivalry posed by China. He labeled the CCP as America’s “number one and our only number one” strategic competitor.Carl Schuster, former director of operations at the U.S. Pacific Command’s Joint Intelligence Center, elaborated on this viewpoint in an interview with The Epoch Times.
“China is America’s primary strategic competitor. It has more diplomatic, economic, and military power than the Soviet Union ever dreamed of having. It is also significantly more powerful than Russia. Russia and Iran are immediate strategic threats. That is, they are active and physically challenging US interests now,” he said.
“China is preparing for the day it can threaten us physically, but Beijing will wait until America’s diplomatic, economic, and domestic political strength has declined further before trying it,” Mr. Schuster added.
CCP’s Strategic Support for Russia, Iran, and North Korea
In a demonstration of geopolitical alliances, the Chinese Minister of Defense, Dong Jun, pledged unwavering support for Russia amidst the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. This assurance was conveyed during a dialogue with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Shoigu, as evidenced by a video released by the Russian Ministry of Defense on Feb. 5.Despite facing opposition from the United States and Europe, Mr. Dong emphasized that the CCP would steadfastly uphold its policies concerning Ukraine, asserting that external pressures would not deter Sino-Russian cooperation.
The repercussions of these alliances are evident in the mounting tensions between Iran and the United States. A stark manifestation of this conflict was the drone attack by Iran-supported militias on U.S. forces in Jordan on Jan. 28, resulting in casualties and injuries among American military personnel.
The Middle East: Strategic Battleground for Global Powers
In a detailed exposition, Lt. Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, commander of the U.S. Air Forces Central, highlighted the Middle East as a “fertile ground for strategic competition” among the United States, China, and Russia.Addressing defense journalists last October, Lt. Gen. Grynkewich emphasized the critical importance of the Middle East to China, noting that the region supplies approximately half of China’s oil and a significant portion of its natural gas. This energy consumption is instrumental in fueling China’s ascending global stature.
Lt. Gen. Grynkewich expressed concerns over the CCP’s endeavors to diminish the United States’ longstanding influence in the Middle East. Currently, China’s strategy involves leveraging economic influence and the expansive “Belt and Road” initiative, which aims to fund infrastructure projects across the globe. However, these financial engagements often come with detrimental strings attached for the receiving nations, leading to potential debt traps.
Highlighting the natural progression from economic to military interests, Lt. Gen. Grynkewich warned of the potential for the CCP to escalate its military footprint in the Middle East to safeguard its burgeoning economic interests.
Mr. Schuster elaborated on the Middle East’s geostrategic significance. The region’s role as a major oil and natural gas provider positions it as a vital concern for global powers, including the United States, Europe, and Asia, particularly the latter two regions.
“China is working hard to challenge, if not overcome, America’s influence and power in the Middle East. That is one of the reasons China is supporting Iran, investing heavily in Iraq, and trying to woo America’s traditional Middle Eastern allies, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait,” he said.
This strategic posture by China is indicative of its broader ambition to realign global power dynamics in its favor, utilizing the Middle East as a key lever in this geopolitical recalibration.