SpaceWar.com reports: “China presents the top challenge to the United States in all of its history, surpassing the Cold War, a top US official said Wednesday, as he urged Europe to get tougher on Beijing.

Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell, a key architect of a 15-year push for the United States to reorient its foreign policy toward Asia, also urged greater US investment in advanced technology to compete better with China.

‘There is a recognition that this is the most significant challenge in our history,’ Campbell told the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

‘Frankly, the Cold War pales in comparison to the multifaceted challenges that China presents,’ he said.

‘It’s not just a military challenge; it’s across the board. It is in the Global South. It is in technology. We need to step up our game across the board.’

Asked about the remarks on Thursday, a spokesman for China’s foreign ministry said they ‘disregard facts, openly and wantonly exaggerate the China threat, and clamour for camp confrontations’.

Regarding China as the United States’ greatest challenge was a mistake, Lin Jian said at a regular press conference.

‘China urges the United States to abandon Cold War zero-sum thinking, stop spreading the China threat theory, and stop distorting China’s strategic intentions,’ he added…”