US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has called China the "greatest long-term challenge to world order".
In a speech at George Washington University on Thursday, he said China is the only country with the intention and power to transform the world order.
Beijing's vision would lead the world away from the universal values that have been the prerequisite for success over the past 75 years.
Majid Sattar
Political correspondent for North America based in Washington.
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Blinken further said that instead of strengthening the law, the principles and the institutions that have enabled China's success, the regime is undermining those principles.
Under President Xi Jinping, the country has become more repressive internally and aggressive externally.
The American Secretary of State referred to the human rights violations against the Uyghurs and Beijing's behavior in the South China Sea.
But he also mentioned China's increasingly aggressive approach to world markets.
Blinken actually wanted to give the speech on America's China strategy at the beginning of May - before President Joe Biden's trip to Asia - but had to postpone it due to a Covid infection.
The Secretary of State stressed that Washington did not want any conflict or a new Cold War.
One does not seek to transform China's political system.
However, America and its allies in the region will stand up for freedom and democracy and for a free Indo-Pacific region.
Biden has therefore developed a new "integrated deterrent" with his allies and instructed the Pentagon to orientate itself on this.
Turning to Taiwan, Blinken emphasized that American policy has not changed.
We stand by the One China policy.