China Expands Global Cyber Offense, UK US Respond to Rising Threats

China's growing cyber and technological capabilities present a multifaceted challenge to the United States and its allies. British assessments reveal significant Chinese espionage activities and a strategic dependency on China in academia and science, prompting increased intelligence funding and new laws to counter state threats. American cybersecurity experts warn of unprecedented, rapid, and large-scale cyberattacks by Chinese state-sponsored hackers, who have shifted towards wholesale data theft using automated tools. Despite U.S. efforts to restrict technology exports, China is advancing its own AI, robotics, and biotech industries with a focus on self-reliance, adapting to supply chain constraints and continuing long-term investments amid funding pressures. Meanwhile, U.S. defense priorities risk being diverted back to the Middle East, potentially undermining the sustained focus needed to counter China's advances in the Indo-Pacific. Additionally, China's offensive cyber strategy leverages a decentralized, risk-tolerant approach integrated with its tech sector and education system, contrasting with the U.S.'s more cautious and bureaucratic methods, raising concerns about the ability of the U.S. to keep pace in cyber warfare.