China making efforts to be 'pre-eminent power' in East Asia: US intel

China’s ruling Communist Party will continue its efforts to achieve President Xi Jinping's vision of making the country the ‘preeminent power’ in East Asia and emerge as a ‘major power’ globally by undercutting US influence, according to the latest report by the US Intelligence Community.

As Xi, 69, begins his unprecedented third term as China's top leader this week, the Communist Party of China (CPC) will work to press the self-ruled Taiwan island on unification, undercut US influence, drive wedges between Washington and its partners, and foster some norms that favour its authoritarian system.

China’s leaders probably will seek opportunities to reduce tensions with the US when they believe it suits their interests, it said.

Avril D Haines, the director of national intelligence who appeared before a Senate committee to present the threat assessment, also said that China believes it can achieve its goals of dominating its region and expanding its global reach ‘only at the expense of US power and influence.’ 

“The People's Republic of China, which is increasingly challenging the United States economically, technologically, politically and militarily around the world, remains our unparalleled priority,” Haines was quoted as saying by The New York Times.