--- title: China Will Be Next Big Threat to U.S., General Dunford Says description: America's highest-ranked military official says China will pose a greater military threat to the U.S. than any other nation by 2025 canonical: https://time.com/4958679/general-dunford-military-threat/ author: Joseph Hincks article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2017-09-27T08:45:38.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-10-08T09:53:52.342Z article:section: Politics og:title: China Will Be Next Big Threat to U.S., General Dunford Says og:description: Though North Korea is still the most urgent og:url: https://time.com/4958679/general-dunford-military-threat/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt898be94a1fb4e0d4/6988df91fb4eacb0bd893e4a/gettyimages-842283950.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 3000 og:image:height: 1688 og:image:alt: Defense Secretary Mattis Makes Statement On North Korea og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: China Will Be Next Big Threat to U.S., General Dunford Says twitter:description: Though North Korea is still the most urgent twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt898be94a1fb4e0d4/6988df91fb4eacb0bd893e4a/gettyimages-842283950.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Here’s What a Top General Thinks Is the Next Big Threat to the U.S. > Sponsored content. 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Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=08775df6-c284-4e94-8d78-91ec9057194c&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Here’s What a Top General Thinks Is the Next Big Threat to the U.S. [Watch (HLS stream): Here’s What a Top General Thinks Is the Next Big Threat to the U.S.](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/IuBa1om7.m3u8) (1:00)  _Published 2017-09-27. China will pose a greater military threat to the U.S. than any other nation within the next decade, according to America's highest-ranked military official, General Joseph Dunford._ by [Joseph Hincks](https://time.com/author/joseph-hincks/) ## Joseph Hincks Sep 27, 2017 8:45 AM UTC by [Joseph Hincks](https://time.com/author/joseph-hincks/) ## Joseph Hincks Sep 27, 2017 8:45 AM UTC China will pose a [greater military threat](http://edition.cnn.com/2017/09/26/politics/dunford-us-china-greatest-threat/index.html) to the U.S. than any other nation within the next decade, according to America’s highest-ranked military official, General Joseph Dunford. “I think China probably poses the greatest threat to our nation by about 2025,” Dunford told the Senate Armed Services Committee during a Tuesday [hearing](https://www.armed-services.senate.gov/hearings/17-09-26-nomination%5F--dunford) on his re-appointment as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, CNN reports. Dunford was responding to a question from Hawaii Sen. Mazie Hirono, who asked whether he stood by his 2015 assessment that Russia, followed by China and North Korea, posed the greatest threats to the U.S. in order of severity. He said, however that North Korea poses the most immediate threat to the U.S., “\[i\]n terms of the sense of urgency,” adding that Russia still presented the the greatest overall military threat on the basis of its nuclear, cyber, and electronic warfare capabilities and its regional interventions in Crimea and Ukraine. **Read more:** [_President Trump’s U.N. Speech Is Exactly What Kim Jong Un Wanted to Hear_](http://time.com/4949338/donald-trump-north-korea-un/) “\[But\] if I look out to 2025, and I look at the demographics and the economic situation, I think China probably poses the greatest threat,” he said, adding that the country is “focused on limiting our ability to project power and weakening our alliances in the Pacific.” Dunford’s comments come in advance of [Secretary of State Rex Tillerson](http://time.com/4883555/rex-tillerson-north-korea-dialogue/)‘s forthcoming visit to China, which begins Thursday, his second visit throughout his nine months in office. Reuters [reports](http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-china-tillerson/tillerson-to-discuss-north-korea-crisis-trade-in-china-idUSKCN1C12TO?il=0) that Tillerson is expected to prioritize discussions about the escalating [North Korea crisis](http://time.com/4950248/a-way-forward-in-the-north-korea-crisis/) and lay the groundwork for President Donald Trump’s November visit. ## Transcript Chairman McCain, Ranking Member Reed, distinguished members of the committee, thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today. I'm honored to be renominated as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. I'd like to begin by thanking the committee for your support of our soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines. This year's national defense authorization act is a reflection of your committment to ensure that they remain the most well trained Well equipped and capable military force in the world. Today we have a competitive advantage over any advisory and I can say with confidence that our armed forces is ready to protect the homeland in [ UNKNOWN ] alliance commitments. However, that advantage has [ UNKNOWN ] in recent years. If we confirm I look forward to working together with the committee to ensure that the chairman testifying in 2025 Has the same degree of confidence in our ability to provide for the common defense. This committee is keenly aware of today's complex and volatile security environment, both the chairman and the ranking member have mentioned it. 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