North Korea to be surpassed by CHINA as ‘greatest threat to GLOBAL world order’ by 2025

General Joseph Dunford put China at the top of the danger podium during a hearing on his re-appointment as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Mr Dunford told the Senate Armed Services Committee: “If I look out to 2025, and I look at the demographics and the economic situation, I think China probably poses the greatest threat to our nation by about 2025.

“China is focused on limiting our ability to project power and weakening our alliances in the Pacific.”

The latter statement appears to be a jab at Beijing for locking horns with Japan and India over territorial issues.

The US’s highest-ranking General stated that an increase in military spending is needed for the US to “maintain a competitive advantage” over China.

The General claimed: ”Chinese leaders seem committed to increases in defence spending for the foreseeable future.

“China’s military modernisation is targeting capabilities with the potential to degrade core US military technological advantages.”

The Senate seemed to head the words of the wise General by approving a $692billion budget for the 2018 fiscal year.

This new budget provides the military with a 10.5 per cent increase from 2017.

Mr Dunford’s statements mark a shift in the hailed General’s threat ratings – he had previously stated that Russia was the greatest immediate threat to national security.

The General made sure to iterate that North Korea “poses the greatest threat today” thanks to the “sense of urgency” presented by the hermit kingdom.

Despite the war of words waging between President Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un, Mr Dunford still ranks Russia as the greatest threat to the US thanks to its vast military capabilities.

The General stated that Putin’s empire trumps Beijing “in terms of overall military capability.”

Dunford made a deal with China back in August that emphasised better communications between Washington and Beijing.

China currently possesses the world’s largest standing army – the country’s first overseas military base was recently amassed in Djibouti with Beijing looking to expand further in Southeast Asia and East Africa.