WASHINGTON • President Joe Biden's nominee to lead the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) pledged during his confirmation hearing on Wednesday to improve spying on China, warned of Russia's ability to interfere with United States affairs and promised to deliver apolitical intelligence to the White House, leaning on his long diplomatic experience to win over senators.
The nominee, Mr William Burns, argued that China was an adversarial power and the intelligence community's greatest geopolitical challenge. He called for investing more resources and personnel as well as technological innovation.
He also warned that even as a declining power, Russia has shown it can be disruptive. And he pledged to examine evidence about mysterious attacks that have left a number of CIA officers with lingering ailments, making a commitment to a workforce battered for years by former president Donald Trump.
Mr Burns' confirmation as CIA director seems all but assured, with a large bipartisan majority of senators supporting him. A vote by the full Senate could come next week.
The Senate Intelligence Committee hearing was far more of a coronation than a confrontational question-and-answer session, with more of the discussion focusing on foreign policy than intelligence matters, perhaps unsurprising given Mr Burns' experience as ambassador to Jordan and Russia, as well as the senior State Department positions he has held.
That deep experience and ability to clearly explain complex foreign policy challenges appealed to Mr Biden, according to current and former officials.
Mr Jake Sullivan, the National Security Adviser, remembered that when he met Mr Burns in December 2008, the veteran ambassador pulled out a small note card and gave a round-the-world briefing on every major issue. "It was one of the single most impressive displays of breadth and depth on substance that I have ever witnessed," Mr Sullivan said in an interview.
Mr Sullivan, who worked with Mr Burns on a variety of back-channel diplomatic efforts, said China was a significant challenge for intelligence agencies.
Mr Burns, he said, has guidance to put his best minds on the problem. "My basic marching orders to Bill will be: Give it to us straight," Mr Sullivan said. "Give us your best judgment on Beijing's intentions, its capabilities."
At the hearing, Mr Burns described the Chinese government as adversarial and predatory. "We have to buckle up for the long haul, I think, in competition with China," he said.
"This is not like the competition with the Soviet Union in the Cold War, which was primarily in security and ideological terms. This is an adversary that is extraordinarily ambitious with technology and capable in economic terms as well."
Mr Burns said a bipartisan strategy to confront Beijing was possible, and indeed, both Democratic and Republican lawmakers have called on the intelligence agencies to shift resources towards China.
Meanwhile, Mr Biden's nominee for trade chief is pledging to work with allies to take on China while also embarking on a pragmatic approach to the Asian nation, saying it is both a rival and partner whose cooperation the US needs to address global challenges.
Without going into specifics of how she would address tariffs, export bans and other key issues, Ms Katherine Tai, the pick for US trade representative, said she knows the "opportunities and limitations in our existing toolbox".
"We must recommit to working relentlessly with others to promote and defend our shared values of freedom, democracy, truth and opportunity in a just society," Ms Tai said in the text of remarks seen by Bloomberg ahead of her confirmation hearing yesterday before the Senate Finance Committee.
Ms Tai, whose nomination requires Senate approval, is expected to play a key role in setting and implementing Mr Biden's trade policy, which they both have promised to focus on workers and the middle class.
While Ms Tai has a reputation as a progressive Democrat, she is respected by members of both parties, who have praised her ability to find common ground on thorny matters such as those involving both business and labour.
NYTIMES, BLOOMBERG
