The CCP, led by President Joe Biden and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, is engaging in indirect confrontations with the United States, aiming to dismantle the current international order. To lessen Iranian sway in the Middle East, the Pentagon emphasizes that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) constitutes the principal strategic adversary of the United States. High-ranking U.S. military officials are highlighting the competitive nature of the region, involving major powers such as the United States, China, and Russia.
In early February, 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, were a response 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, with the United States also taking steps to provide advance warnings, potentially to reduce Iranian casualties.
Carl Schuster, former director of operations at the U.S. Pacific Command’s Joint Intelligence Center, stated that “China is America’s primary strategic competitor.” Schuster added that China is flexing its diplomatic, economic, and military power to indirectly challenge U.S. influence. Beijing is increasing its support to nations such as Iran, North Korea, and Russia, thereby straining U.S. resources and indirectly challenging U.S. influence.
The Chinese Minister of Defense, Dong Jun, pledged unwavering support for Russia and continues to express commitment to uphold its policies concerning Ukraine, assuring that external pressures will not deter Sino-Russian cooperation. Similarly, China has increased trade with North Korea, and Iran has emerged as Iran’s principal oil purchaser, becoming a major trading ally.
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. He expressed concerns over China’s endeavors to diminish the United States’ longstanding influence in the Middle East, such as the “Belt and Road” initiative, warning of potential debt traps for receiving nations. Mr. Schuster elaborated that “China is challenging, if not overcoming, America’s influence and power in the Middle East,” using the region as a key lever in the geopolitical recalibration.