US prioritizing China over counterterrorism in 'big shift': NSA

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Intelligence Online
21 Sep 2023 16:07

The NSA intends to publish a strategic plan against China, highlighting its big shift on Beijing.

This June 6, 2013 file photo shows the sign outside the National Security Agency (NSA) campus in Fort Meade, Maryland. (AP)

Intelligence Online reported that the National Security Agency (NSA)'s Assistant Deputy Director for China, David Frederick, announced during a rare appearance before the Intelligence and National Security Alliance (INSA), that a "big shift" toward China was in the process, making it a higher priority than counterterrorism.

The intelligence agency, headquartered in the state of Maryland, intends to publish a strategic plan against China, which Frederick, alongside the China Strategy team, has been working on.

The NSA showed full engagement in the Biden administration's priority on the China matter, amid the finalization of the Intelligence Authorization Act (IAA), due to exceed the $100 billion budgetary milestone for the first time.

Additional funding would be something the NSA expressed a desire to see, in order to develop cyber capacities specifically allocated to the China Strategy plan.

However, this may not have been the most timely announcement, as the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) and the CIA have recently come out with announcements regarding adapting to the 'China threat.'

Simultaneously and earlier last year, NSA chief and USCYCBERCOM commander General Paul Nakasone declared the creation of a joint initiative between the NSA and USCYCBERCOM, called the China Outcomes Group (COG).

This group's objective is to ease relations with the US Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM), which is the Pentagon's main China structure, but adapting to the hostility with China has not been smooth-going.

With that being said, back in 2021, the CIA and the State Department each established the China Mission Center and the China House, respectively. Just two years later, they are both struggling with multiple difficulties such as poor coordination, and a high staff turnover.