The US Pentagon report to Congress has placed China's claim over Arunachal Pradesh as part of its "core interests." Alongside Taiwan and maritime disputes like the South China Sea, Arunachal Pradesh now figures in Beijing's long-term national plan. The report says China seeks the "great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation" by 2049, with claimed territories, especially Taiwan, seen as a "natural requirement" for this goal. The report highlights China’s aim for a "world-class" military to "fight and win" while safeguarding sovereignty and development interests. On India-China relations, it notes that in October 2024, India and China agreed to disengage from remaining border standoff points on the Line of Actual Control (LAC). This came two days before PM Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping met at the BRICS Summit. That meeting launched monthly talks on border management, direct flights, visa access, and academic and media exchanges. The report suggests China wants to ease border tensions to stabilize ties and slow India-US relations, though mutual distrust remains. China’s growing military ties with Pakistan also feature strongly. China co-produces the JF-17 fighter jets with Pakistan and is Pakistan’s only buyer of Chinese J-10 combat aircraft. It has supplied armed drones and is a main naval supplier, with Pakistan purchasing $3 billion worth of Yuan-class submarines. The Pentagon report says China may use Pakistan for future military logistic bases, expanding its overseas presence beyond Djibouti. It references a 2020 China-Pakistan intelligence deal to boost counterterrorism operations in Pakistan and Afghanistan, focusing on Uyghur groups. Finally, the report sums up China’s "three non-negotiable core interests": CCP control, economic growth, and territorial defense and expansion. The Chinese Communist Party remains sensitive to criticism over protecting these interests, seeing challenges as threats to its rule.