Growing China-Russia-Iran-North Korea cooperation poses multi-front threat to US: Report

WASHINGTON: The rapidly intensifying cooperation among four major adversaries of the United States – China, Russia, Iran and North Korea –spotlighting that Russia’s war in Ukraine is a catalyst that could drag the United States into a multi-front conflict according to a report.

The annual report of worldwide threats to the national security of the United States by the US Intelligence Community released by the office of Director of National Intelligence has warned about the deepening ties between these nations–primarily in security and defence–amplifying individual threats and creating a formidable bloc challenging US global dominance.

It further mentioned China’s pivotal role in amplifying the risks due to its ambitious goals and vast influence.

“Cooperation among China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea has been growing more rapidly in recent years, reinforcing threats from each of them individually while also posing new challenges to US strength and power globally,” the report said.

This alignment increases the chances of US tensions or conflict with any one of these adversaries drawing in another, with China being critical to this alignment because of its global significance, particularly its power and influence.

“Russia’s war in Ukraine has accelerated these ties, but the trend is likely to continue regardless of the war’s outcome. This alignment increases the chances of US tensions or conflict with any one of these adversaries drawing in another. China is critical to this alignment and its global significance, given the PRC’s particularly ambitious goals and powerful capabilities and influence in the world,” the report read.

The assessment revealed that Russia’s reliance on its partners has surged amid the Ukraine conflict, with North Korea supplying munitions, missiles, and troops under a June 2024 strategic pact; Iran providing UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) in exchange for advanced military support; and China bolstering Moscow’s war machine with dual-use materials and components.

“Trade between China and Russia has soared since the war began, helping Moscow withstand US sanctions,” the report noted, while Russia’s oil and LNG exports to China further cushion its economy.

This alignment, accelerated by the Ukraine war, heightens the danger of a US confrontation with one nation pulling in others, a scenario the report deems increasingly likely regardless of the conflict’s outcome.

“Cooperation between China and Russia poses the greatest enduring risks to US interests,” the report states, pointing to their decade-long joint military drills, now intensified, and plans for expanded Arctic operations, including bomber patrols and naval missions, to counter Western influence,” it said.

While driven by a shared aim to undermine US power, the report acknowledges the uneven nature of this alliance, tempered by escalation fears and divergent interests. Yet, it predicts continued collaboration, especially in the Arctic, where China leverages Russia to build icebreaker ships and secure economic footholds. The intelligence community cautions that this evolving axis, rooted in mutual gains, demands urgent US attention to safeguard its strategic edge. (ANI)