Boniphace Kichonge
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- Jul 31, 2017
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Munich - U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper has said that China tops the list of the Pentagon’s potential adversaries.
speaking at the Munich Security Conference in Germany, Esper said Beijing posed the greatest threat to the West, followed by Russia, what he called "rogue states," like North Korea and Iran, and extremist groups.
“In fact, under President Xi’s rule, the Chinese Communist Party is heading even faster and further in the wrong direction. More internal repression, more predatory economic practices, more heavy-handedness, and most concerning for me, a more aggressive military posture,” Esper told the audience of world leaders and military chiefs Saturday.
U.S. Secretary for Defense Mark Esper speaks during a press conference on the first day of the Munich Security Conference in Munich, Germany, Feb. 14, 2020.
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His warnings were echoed by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who took aim at Chinese telecom firm Huawei.
“Huawei and other Chinese backed tech companies are Trojan horses for Chinese intelligence,” Pompeo said. “We can't let information go across networks that we don't have confidence won't be hijacked by the Chinese Communist Party. It's just unacceptable.”
speaking at the Munich Security Conference in Germany, Esper said Beijing posed the greatest threat to the West, followed by Russia, what he called "rogue states," like North Korea and Iran, and extremist groups.
“In fact, under President Xi’s rule, the Chinese Communist Party is heading even faster and further in the wrong direction. More internal repression, more predatory economic practices, more heavy-handedness, and most concerning for me, a more aggressive military posture,” Esper told the audience of world leaders and military chiefs Saturday.
U.S. Secretary for Defense Mark Esper speaks during a press conference on the first day of the Munich Security Conference in Munich, Germany, Feb. 14, 2020.
US Defense Secretary Calls on Global Security Leaders to 'Wake Up' to China’s Efforts to Impact World Affairs
China’s foreign minister said US does not want China to rejuvenate
His warnings were echoed by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who took aim at Chinese telecom firm Huawei.
“Huawei and other Chinese backed tech companies are Trojan horses for Chinese intelligence,” Pompeo said. “We can't let information go across networks that we don't have confidence won't be hijacked by the Chinese Communist Party. It's just unacceptable.”
