WASHINGTON – The Pentagon has developed a global campaign plan againstChina, a top American military leader on Friday told US lawmakers, whoidentified the Asian giant as “one of the central challenges” to theirnational security.

“We have a global campaign plan for China. Each one of the combatantcommanders addresses China in the context of that global campaign plan,”General Joseph Dunford, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff toldmembers of the House Armed Services Committee during a congressionalhearing, PTI has reported.

He said Admiral Harry Harris, Commander of the US Pacific Command, is thecoordinating authority for that global campaign plan.

“But each of the combatant commanders has supporting plans in theirrespective areas of responsibilities that address specifically Chineseactivity and capability in their areas,” he said.

Dunford was responding to a question from Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler whosaid that China has expanded its self not only in the Indo-Pacific region,but across the globe.

“Their activities are present (in) Africa, Europe, Latin America, etcetera. What efforts are you aware of being taken by each of the combatantcommands in the different AORs (areas of responsibility) to counter theChina challenge?” she asked.

She described China is one of the central challenges to the nationalsecurity.

“China is very focused. They have multiple lanes of effort, from espionage,to the military to counter-intelligence, to propaganda arm, et cetera,”Hartzler said as she was joined by several other lawmakers in expressingconcern over the rise of China.

“China has made a clear commitment to meet US capability in artificialintelligence by 2020 and then exceed it by 2030,” Congressman Seth WilburMoulton said.

Congressman Mike Gallagher asked what are the long-term consequences ifChina is allowed to continue to acquire America’s advanced technologiesthrough investment and joint ventures.

Defence secretary Jim Mattis said that there are technologies that the USdoes not want for defence, for security reasons, to see in Chinese hands.

“I think you saw on the 5G effort here some weeks ago, that we move swiftlyeven in advance of what the process requires in order to make certain thatwe did not naively watch a business link up that was not in our bestinterest,” he said.

“But that was a one-shot effort. We need to look at the entire penetrationof our society, and what we need to protect, and CFIUS (Committee onForeign Investment in the US) is a key part of this.

“Every democratic nation right now, by the way, that we deal with fromGermany to Australia, from Canada to the United Kingdom, they’re allworking this issue. And so this is not unique to us, but it’s certainly oneof our responsibilities,” Mattis said.

According to Dunford, the lifting of intellectual property in the manner inwhich China is doing that it is actually undermining the US’ ability tomaintain a technological competitive advantage.

“We’re going to have to improve on the invest risk review process thatwould be the specific area where the Congress could take some steps, inorder to come up with the specific things we need to do to protect what weabsolutely must hold onto,” Mattis pitched.