Blinken: China Is The Number One Threat To US-Led 'Liberal World Order'

Washington has been sinking billions of dollars into the Ukraine conflict, in the name of defeating and 'weakening' Russia, and yet Secretary of State Antony Blinken this week highlighted China as the real "threat" to the US and the 'liberal world order'. 

Biden's top diplomat was interviewed by The Atlantic’s Jeffrey Goldberg, who asked among other things whether Russia or China is a bigger "threat" to the United States. Blinken responded by saying China has a "much greater ability certainly than Russia to try to shape what the international system looks like."

In reference to China, Blinken answered: "I think they want a world order, but the world order that they seek is profoundly illiberal in nature; ours is liberal with a small ‘L.’  And that’s the fundamental difference."

On the question of what motivates China, Blinken said, "I think that what it seeks is to be the dominant power in the world militarily, economically, diplomatically."

Below is the full exchange from the transcript: 

GOLDBERG:  Is Russia a bigger threat to the U.S. and to Western democratic interests now or is China actually the number one?

SECRETARY BLINKEN:  They’re very different in their nature.  The – China has – by its military capacity, its economic capacity, although a little bit more challenged these days, its diplomatic capacity, its presence around the world – much greater ability certainly than Russia to try to shape what the international system looks like.  And I think they want a world order, but the world order that they seek is profoundly illiberal in nature; ours is liberal with a small “L.”  And that’s the fundamental difference.  The world that we hope to shape looks very different from the world that they might prefer so ‑-

GOLDBERG:  What does China want, ultimately?

SECRETARY BLINKEN:  I think that what it seeks is to be the dominant power in the world militarily, economically, diplomatically.  And depending on the purpose that it brings to that, that can move things in one direction or another.  But I think fundamentally that’s what China is seeking, that’s what Xi Jinping is seeking, and in a sense that’s not a surprise.  There’s an extraordinary history in China, and I think if you look and listen to the Chinese leaders, they are seeking to recover what they believe is their rightful place in the world.

This does reflect recent and broader Washington defense and think tank establishment thinking which sees China as the most severe long-term threat to the US, with Russia in second.

For example, a 2022 National Defense Strategy (NDS) document produced by the Pentagon identified China as the "most comprehensive and serious challenge to US national security strategy" - again despite the bulk of the defense budget and foreign aid now being focused on Ukraine. Some Congressional hawks, particularly among Republicans, have questioned why more isn't being spent to bolster Taiwan and counter China.