DNI Ratcliffe: China Is the Greatest Threat to Freedom Since WWII
Director of National Intelligence warns of Chinese Communist Party influence
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Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe has warned that China is a massive national threat to the United States and the world.
Ratcliffe said China is running a "massive influence campaign" to sway lawmakers to the will of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
The National Intelligence Director painted a grim picture of China's growing threat in an op-ed in the Washington Post published Thursday.
"If I could communicate one thing to the American people from this unique vantage point, it is that the People's Republic of China poses the greatest threat to America today and the greatest threat to democracy and freedom worldwide since World War II," wrote Ratcliffe.
He explained the U.S. intelligence community had gathered evdience, which indicated China's goal was to dominate the globe "economically, militarily and technologically."
Ratcliffe asserted that China uses prominent companies to steal intellectual property from American firms, and then replicate them before replacing them in the global marketplace.
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Ratcliffe later gave an example of how Chinese owned company could leverage its influence to manipulate politicians subtly.
Consider this scenario: A Chinese-owned manufacturing facility in the U.S. employs several thousand Americans. One day, the plant's union leader is approached by a representative of the Chinese firm.
The businessman explains that the local congresswoman is taking a hard-line position on legislation that runs counter to Beijing's interests—even though it has nothing to do with the industry the company is involved in—and says the union leader must urge her to shift positions or the plant and all its jobs will soon be gone.
The union leader contacts his congresswoman and indicates that his members won't support her re-election without a change in position. He tells himself he's protecting his members, but in that moment, he's doing China's bidding, and the congresswoman is being influenced by China, whether she realizes it or not.
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He also said China had been passing ethical boundaries by experimenting with human subjects to develop soldiers with enhanced capabilities.
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Ratcliffe warned America needed to be prepared for the challenges from China.
"Americans have always risen to the moment, from defeating the scourge of fascism to bringing down the Iron Curtain."
"This generation will be judged by its response to China's effort to reshape the world in its own image and replace America as the dominant superpower," wrote Ratcliffe.
"The intelligence is clear," he concluded.
"Our response must be as well."
Last month, a Chinese sociologist boldly declared it is "only a matter of time" before China overtakes the United States.
Dr. Li Y's chilling declaration was reported by MEMRI TV, a research organization that tracks Islamic extremism around the world and anti-Semitism.
“Chinese sociologist Dr. Li Yi said in an October 16, 2020 speech delivered at the Shenzhenwan Dialogue Forum in Shenzhen, China that China would overtake the United States in GDP by 2027, and that COVID-19 has been harmful to the U.S. and Europe but beneficial to China and North Korea,” MEMRI reported.
