Joe Biden’s candidate to lead the CIA warned of the threat from China: “It is our greatest geopolitical challenge.”

China is America’s greatest threatPresident Joe Biden’s candidate to lead the CIA said Wednesday: William Burns, which promised to guarantee the espionage agency’s independence from the political world.

In an international scenario “increasingly complex and competitive”, the Chinese regime’s “predatory” stance represents “our greatest geopolitical challenge”the former diplomat said during his hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee, which must approve his nomination.

“Catching up with China will be key to our safety for decades to come (…) That requires a clear, long-term, two-pronged strategy, supported by domestic innovation and solid intelligence, ”he said.

While Washington may work with Beijing on important issues such as climate change or nuclear non-proliferation, the former State Department runner-up (2011-2014) warned that the Chinese regime “He methodically strengthens his intellectual property theft capabilities, oppresses his people, harasses his neighbors, expands his power in the world, and builds his influence within American society.”

The CIA has been the target of operations by the Chinese intelligence services in recent years, which recruited several US agents and diplomats.

Ten years ago, Beijing managed to dismantle a network of informants from US agencies in China.

Burns claimed that the struggle for technological superiority in intelligence, including the use of artificial intelligence, will be a key element of his mission. He also advocated recruiting agents who speak Mandarin.

Besides China, Russia, which he called “aggressive,” and Iran, which he called “hostile,” according to Burns, are the other major threats to his country.

Looking back on his years as U.S. Ambassador to Moscow, between 2005 and 2008, the former diplomat said he found out “That it is always a mistake to underestimate Vladimir Putin’s Russia.” “While Russia is in many ways a waning power, it can be just as disruptive” as emerging powers like China, he said.

Burns, promoter of the dialogue with the Iranian regime that enabled the 2015 nuclear program agreement, was of the opinion The United States must “do everything possible to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon”.

If the Senate confirms his nomination, as expected, Burns, 64, will replace Gina Haspel, the first woman to lead the CIA, whose career was marred by her controversial role in torture programs following the September 11, 2001 attacks.

Biden’s candidate assured that the enhanced interrogation methods used in the aftermath of those attacks, “They will never be used by the CIA” under his direction, and described the simulated drowning, one of those techniques, an “act of torture.”

Burns’ election aims to restore the agency’s independence, after opponents of former President Donald Trump accused him of trying to politicize the CIA. “Politics must stop where intelligence work begins,” Burns said, recalling his long career in the Middle East and Russia.

“I’ve learned that intelligence professionals need to tell politicians what to hear, even if they don’t want to hear it.”he added.

Burns was a diplomat for 33 years and retired in 2014 before becoming chairman of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, a think-tank on inter-country relations whose exchange program with a Chinese organization considered a propaganda body has been criticized by members of the Senate Intelligence Committee.

While his profile is atypical for the position – he is neither military nor political and has never worked in the intelligence services – Burns assured the commission that he knew very well the CIA, which he dealt with frequently during his career.

He also stressed the need for the CIA to work with US allies, especially to oppose Russia., in contrast to Trump’s conciliatory stance on Moscow.

“We will have more of an impact on Putin’s calculations if we see strong reactions not only from the United States, but also from our European allies and others,” he said.

With information from AFP

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