China is using the strategy of giving credit and loans to countries across the world to become a global power with great influence, a top US intelligence official has said.

Daniel R Coats, Director of National Intelligence, told members of the Senate Armed Services Committee during a Congressional hearing said China was using a number of techniques that are far more than just the typical military land grab to increase its influence.

&quot;While China is modernising its military, is increasing its spending, most of it appears to be done for a deterrence purpose, rather than an aggressive purpose. They clearly have a strategy of using credit and loans to countries around the world, particularly in geo-strategic places, then combining it with some military capacity &mdash; South China Seas &mdash; their new base in Djibouti,&quot; Coats said.

&quot;We see that China is seeking, I think, to become a world power with great influence on a global basis. And they&#39;re using a number of techniques that are far more than just the typical military land grab that we see more likely with Russia, rather than China,&quot; Coats said.

He was responding to a question from Senator Angus King on the intelligence community&#39;s assessment of what China wants.

&quot;Are they moving toward military aggression and enlargement of their territory? Or are they looking more toward political and economic influence in the region?&quot; he asked.

&quot;It appears to be the latter,&quot; Coats said.&nbsp;

US official was responding to a question from Senator Angus King on the intelligence community's assessment of what China wants.

China is using the strategy of giving credit and loans to countries across the world to become a global power with great influence, a top US intelligence official has said. Daniel R Coats, Director of National Intelligence, told members of the Senate Armed Services Committee during a Congressional hearing said China was using a number of techniques that are far more than just the typical military land grab to increase its influence. "While China is modernising its military, is increasing its spending, most of it appears to be done for a deterrence purpose, rather than an aggressive purpose. They clearly have a strategy of using credit and loans to countries around the world, particularly in geo-strategic places, then combining it with some military capacity — South China Seas — their new base in Djibouti," Coats said. "We see that China is seeking, I think, to become a world power with great influence on a global basis. And they're using a number of techniques that are far more than just the typical military land grab that we see more likely with Russia, rather than China," Coats said. He was responding to a question from Senator Angus King on the intelligence community's assessment of what China wants. "Are they moving toward military aggression and enlargement of their territory? Or are they looking more toward political and economic influence in the region?" he asked. "It appears to be the latter," Coats said.

China giving loans to countries across world to increase its influence: US official

A recent report taken out by a Washington D.C.-based think tank has predicted that Communist China is seeking to expand its military and political influence across Latin America.

The report prepared by the Center for a Secure Free Society (SFS) think-tank appears in the breitbart.com web site.

Titled, &quot;The Dragon and the Condor: Beyond China&#39;s Economic Influence in the Americas,&quot; the report has warned that Beijing is likely to increase its power through military and political means.

&quot;It is also clear that China&#39;s strategic objectives and interests are well beyond the economic realm, and that they raise considerable national security concerns for the U.S. as well as for other nations in the hemisphere,&quot; the SFS report claims.

The assessment of the SFS is that there has been a &quot;steady increase in Chinese intelligence activities in Latin America,&quot; noting that the countries in the region cannot combat Beijing&#39;s capabilities.

SFS notes that Beijing&#39;s intelligence activities in the Americas likely seek to &quot;collect information on U.S. military technology and doctrine; conduct cyber warfare; and carryout corporate espionage.&quot;

&quot;China&#39;s presence in Latin America will continue to grow not only in the economic sphere, but also in political, security, and cultural aspects. China&#39;s intelligence operations in Latin America will be carried out gradually and in stages, especially until Beijing can develop trusted human intelligence networks to support its activity,&quot; the report suggests.

In its most recent assessment of its operations, focused on Latin American countries below Mexico and most of the Caribbean, the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) concedes that China&#39;s activities in the Americas pose a threat to the United States.

SOUTHCOM specifically noted Beijing&#39;s decision to expand its ambitious multi-trillion-dollar &quot;One Belt, One Road&quot; (OBOR) initiative to Latin America as a menace to U.S. interests.

The U.S. military has cautioned that the strategic challenge posed by China in this region requires a new approach to get effective results.

The national security think-tank analysis also highlights China&#39;s OBOR or the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), as a threat to the United States.

The BRI raises serious inquiries about China&#39;s long-term interests and objectives abroad.

The U.S. Pacific Command (USPACOM), which covers American military activity in China, New Zealand, and all the countries in between, recently cautioned lawmakers the Chinese armed forces might soon challenge the United States&#39; military dominance in the Indo-Pacific region &quot;across almost all domains.&quot; (ANI)

'It is also clear that China's strategic objectives and interests are well beyond the economic realm, and that they raise considerable national security concerns for the U.S. as well as for other nations in the hemisphere,' say a recent report

A recent report taken out by a Washington D.C.-based think tank has predicted that Communist China is seeking to expand its military and political influence across Latin America. The report prepared by the Center for a Secure Free Society (SFS) think-tank appears in the breitbart.com web site. Titled, "The Dragon and the Condor: Beyond China's Economic Influence in the Americas," the report has warned that Beijing is likely to increase its power through military and political means. "It is also clear that China's strategic objectives and interests are well beyond the economic realm, and that they raise considerable national security concerns for the U.S. as well as for other nations in the hemisphere," the SFS report claims. The assessment of the SFS is that there has been a "steady increase in Chinese intelligence activities in Latin America," noting that the countries in the region cannot combat Beijing's capabilities. SFS notes that Beijing's intelligence activities in the Americas likely seek to "collect information on U.S. military technology and doctrine; conduct cyber warfare; and carryout corporate espionage." "China's presence in Latin America will continue to grow not only in the economic sphere, but also in political, security, and cultural aspects. China's intelligence operations in Latin America will be carried out gradually and in stages, especially until Beijing can develop trusted human intelligence networks to support its activity," the report suggests. In its most recent assessment of its operations, focused on Latin American countries below Mexico and most of the Caribbean, the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) concedes that China's activities in the Americas pose a threat to the United States. SOUTHCOM specifically noted Beijing's decision to expand its ambitious multi-trillion-dollar "One Belt, One Road" (OBOR) initiative to Latin America as a menace to U.S. interests. The U.S. military has cautioned that the strategic challenge posed by China in this region requires a new approach to get effective results. The national security think-tank analysis also highlights China's OBOR or the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), as a threat to the United States. The BRI raises serious inquiries about China's long-term interests and objectives abroad. The U.S. Pacific Command (USPACOM), which covers American military activity in China, New Zealand, and all the countries in between, recently cautioned lawmakers the Chinese armed forces might soon challenge the United States' military dominance in the Indo-Pacific region "across almost all domains." (ANI)

China expanding military, political influence in Latin America

The United States pressed Russia on Monday to use its &quot;influence&quot; to secure an &quot;immediate&quot; full-fledged halt to a bloody offensive in Syria&#39;s rebel-held enclave of Eastern Ghouta.

&quot;The Syrian regime, and its Russian and Iranian backers, continue to attack East Ghouta, a densely populated suburb of Damascus, despite the ceasefire called for by the United Nations Security Council,&quot; State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert tweeted.

&quot;The regime claims it is fighting terrorists, but is instead terrorizing hundreds of thousands of civilians with airstrikes, artillery, rockets, and a looming ground attack. The regime&rsquo;s use of chlorine gas as a weapon only intensifies the misery of the civilian population.

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/syrias-ghouta-russia-orders-daily-5-hour-truce-34166" target="_blank">Russia orders daily 5-hour truce</a>

&quot;#Russia has the influence to stop these operations if it chooses to live up to its obligations under the #UNSC ceasefire,&quot; she added, referring to a Security Council resolution for a 30-day truce that has been a dead letter since it was passed on Saturday.

&quot;The United States calls for an immediate end to offensive operations and urgent access for humanitarian workers to treat the wounded and deliver badly needed humanitarian aid.&quot;

'#Russia has the influence to stop these operations (in Ghouta) if it chooses to live up to its obligations under the #UNSC ceasefire,' State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert tweeted

The United States pressed Russia on Monday to use its "influence" to secure an "immediate" full-fledged halt to a bloody offensive in Syria's rebel-held enclave of Eastern Ghouta. "The Syrian regime, and its Russian and Iranian backers, continue to attack East Ghouta, a densely populated suburb of Damascus, despite the ceasefire called for by the United Nations Security Council," State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert tweeted. "The regime claims it is fighting terrorists, but is instead terrorizing hundreds of thousands of civilians with airstrikes, artillery, rockets, and a looming ground attack. The regime’s use of chlorine gas as a weapon only intensifies the misery of the civilian population. Also read: Russia orders daily 5-hour truce "#Russia has the influence to stop these operations if it chooses to live up to its obligations under the #UNSC ceasefire," she added, referring to a Security Council resolution for a 30-day truce that has been a dead letter since it was passed on Saturday. "The United States calls for an immediate end to offensive operations and urgent access for humanitarian workers to treat the wounded and deliver badly needed humanitarian aid."

US urges Russia to use 'influence' to stop Syria offensive

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