The close military cooperation between Russia and China is cause for great concern, and the authorities in Washington must seriously reconsider its current strategy of “containment” towards the two large Eurasian superpowers.
That’s according to Admiral Charles Richard, the commander of United States Strategic Command, who spoke in an online forum discussion with the Hudson Institute.
According to Richard, the US has never before “faced two peer opponents” with nuclear weapons and high-technology systems, noting that China’s rapid progression in nuclear, space, and cyber technologies means that Washington must think carefully about its next steps. In particular, Richard stated that China, unlike the US and Russia, is not constrained by treaties regarding its nuclear forces.
“Russia still remains the near-term pacing threat,” Richard said, suggesting that Beijing would soon overtake Moscow as Washington’s most capable foe.
According to the Admiral, both Russia and China can “go [to] any level of violence” in a crisis, including using nuclear weapons with their “unique destructive capability.”‘