The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the British counterintelligence service MI5 assessed that China represents the greatest long-term threat to Western countries.
FBI Director Christopher Wray and his MI5 colleague Ken McCallum said at a joint conference that the services of the two countries "consistently observe" that the moves of the Chinese authorities endanger the "economic and national security" of both countries, as well as countries in Europe and around the world.
They added that China is determined to steal technology from Western companies.
Ray said Beijing's attempt to seize Taiwan by force would be "one of the most horrific disruptions of the business world" ever to happen.
"As in Russia, long-standing Western investments could be held hostage, capital could be lost, and supply chains and relationships could be severed," Ray said.
In a written statement, the spokesperson of the Chinese embassy in Washington, Li Pengyu, called the US accusations baseless.
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