The report has been released just a week after Estonia and five other countries snubbed Beijing by sending lower-ranking ministers, rather than presidents or prime ministers, to the 17+1 summit convened by Chinese officials.

The report’s section on China highlights Beijing’s growing ability to conduct influence operations in the West through economic leverage, surveillance of Chinese nationals abroad, and the cultivating of local elites, read an opinion piece written by Bethany Ebrahimian for The Frontier Post.

The report also warns China’s leadership 'has a clear objective of making the world dependent on Chinese technology' mentioning 5G maker Huawei and navigation system BeiDou, the report said.