Pakistan, Jan. 24 -- The United States (US) has downgraded China as its top military priority, shifting its strategic focus toward the Western Hemisphere, according to the 2026 National Defence Strategy released by the Pentagon on Friday.

The quadrennial strategy document marks a significant departure from the previous 2022 defence strategy, which had identified China as the US military's foremost strategic competitor. In the new framework, China has been placed second on the list of priorities, while homeland defence and the Western Hemisphere have taken precedence.

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