【By Observer Net, Xiong Chaoran】On December 3 local time, the U.S. "Politico" news website cited exclusive reports from three sources, stating that two documents outlining the Trump administration's global security strategy have been delayed for several weeks due to U.S. Treasury Secretary Bensont's insistence on revising the wording related to China.

These two documents from the U.S. government — the "National Security Strategy" and the "National Defense Strategy" — were originally expected to be released earlier this autumn. The first source said that both documents are nearly complete and may be released this month; the other two sources also confirmed that the "National Security Strategy" and the "National Defense Strategy" are about to be released.

The anonymous sources revealed that given the sensitivity of current U.S.-China trade negotiations, as well as the administration's elevation of the Western Hemisphere strategy to a higher priority than any previous administration, Bensont wants more "refinement" (work done) on the wording regarding China, leading to multiple rounds of revisions for these strategic documents.

The report stated that the "National Security Strategy" has been used by every U.S. administration to clarify its overall strategic priorities, covering areas such as the economy, responses to allies and adversaries, and military posture. This drafting process involves multiple rounds of review and consultation with cabinet officials to comprehensively reflect the government's vision and ensure consistency in actions on the president's most important issues across the entire government.

For months, the Trump administration has been engaged in sensitive and complex negotiations with China over tariffs and a range of trade issues, but the Pentagon has consistently maintained that "China remains the United States' greatest military competitor."

According to the report, it is unclear what specific changes were made to the strategic documents after Bensont's request, but two sources revealed that Bensont wanted to "soften" some of the language related to China, without disclosing further details. Due to the need for both documents to maintain consistency to present a unified stance, any changes to one document require corresponding adjustments in the other.

Photo of U.S. Treasury Secretary Bensont

POLITICO noted that it is common for the U.S. Treasury Secretary and other cabinet officials to provide input during the drafting and debate of new strategic documents, as most governments only issue the "National Security Strategy" once per term.

The White House referred the matter to the U.S. Treasury Department, which issued a statement saying that Bensont was "in full agreement with President Trump and all other (cabinet) members on how to best handle relations with China."

According to the report, the "National Security Strategy" is a document released by every U.S. administration. Since the Biden administration released it in 2022, it has not been updated yet. The document previously highlighted three core themes: strategic competition posed by China and Russia, investment in domestic industrial policies and focus; and treating climate change as a central challenge to national security across all aspects.

Under the Trump administration, the new strategy is expected to place greater emphasis on the Western Hemisphere, whereas previous strategies focused on issues involving the Middle East, counterterrorism, China, and Russia. The new strategy is expected to continue addressing these issues while also focusing on immigration, drug cartels, and relations with Latin America, all falling under the category of protecting the U.S. homeland.

Previously, POLITICO reported on September 5 that the Pentagon was drafting the "Defense Strategy," which recommended prioritizing the security of the U.S. homeland and the Western Hemisphere rather than continuing to focus on the so-called "Chinese threat." The report noted that this shift contrasts sharply with the focus of previous U.S. administrations on containing China, even causing concern among some hardliners on China.

POLITICO also stated that after the release of these two documents, the U.S. will also issue a "Global Posture Assessment" report, which will examine the deployment of U.S. military assets around the world, including allied countries like Germany and South Korea, which are closely watching. These countries host tens of thousands of U.S. troops, and these forces may be redeployed elsewhere.

The report noted that U.S. officials within the Trump administration appear deeply divided on China policy, alternating between harshly criticizing the so-called "Chinese threat" and seeking ways to improve relations with China.

For example, U.S. Defense Secretary Hegseth is expected to deliver a speech on December 5 at the Reagan Library in California, detailing the Pentagon's efforts to accelerate weapons development in response to the "Chinese challenge."

At the same time, Hegseth is seeking to establish a U.S.-China military communication mechanism with China, aiming to prevent disputes or misunderstandings in the Indo-Pacific region from escalating into accidental conflicts.

According to the UK's Financial Times, citing multiple sources on December 4 local time, the U.S. has suspended plans to impose sanctions on Chinese authorities and their contractors over alleged "cyberattacks," to avoid disrupting the "trade truce" atmosphere reached between the two countries in late October.

The report also cited current and former U.S. officials who said that this move aims to avoid undermining the gradual improvement in U.S.-China relations. Several U.S. officials and other sources revealed that after the summit between the two heads of state in Busan, the U.S. government would not implement new major export restrictions on China.

Some say the Trump administration's China policy has shifted toward "ensuring stability" until the U.S. reduces its reliance on China's dominant position in rare earths, a dependency that has long constrained the U.S.'s ability to take more aggressive actions. Moreover, President Trump does not want his possible visit to China next April to be affected.

The report noted that the Trump administration's decision not to sanction the so-called "Salt Typhoon" cyberattack has caused dissatisfaction among the administration's "China hawks," who complain that Trump sacrificed so-called "national security" to achieve a trade deal.

Previously, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning stated that China opposes the Biden administration's accusations against China without credible evidence. In fact, the U.S. has carried out prolonged, systematic, and large-scale cyberattacks on China, and China has repeatedly expressed concerns and opposition on this issue.

Years ago, regarding the U.S. Department of Defense's "2018 U.S. National Defense Strategy Report," which mentioned China multiple times, accusing China of being a strategic competitor of the United States. The spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Defense pointed out that the U.S. Department of Defense published an abstract of the "2018 U.S. National Defense Strategy Report," in which it improperly commented on the modernization of the Chinese military, ignoring facts and exaggerating the so-called great power competition and "Chinese military threat," filled with fallacious arguments of zero-sum games and confrontation. It is another report with a strong "Cold War" color, following the U.S. "National Security Strategy Report."

China firmly walks the path of peaceful development, upholds a defensive national defense policy, does not engage in military expansion, and does not seek spheres of influence. China has always been a builder of world peace, a contributor to global development, and a guardian of the international order. We urge the U.S. to abandon the Cold War mentality, follow the theme of peaceful development and the trend of the times, objectively and rationally view China's national defense and military construction, and work with China to implement the important consensus of the two heads of state, add bricks and tiles to bilateral relations, and strive to make the military relationship between the two countries a stabilizing factor in Sino-U.S. relations.

This article is an exclusive piece by Observer Net. Unauthorized reproduction is prohibited.

Original: toutiao.com/article/7580262752527057418/

Statement: This article reflects the views of the author and is not necessarily the official position of the publisher.