“Complacent.” That’s how Republican Mike Gallagher of the armed services committee described President Joe Biden when it came to his relationship with China, especially now that we witnessed just how far along China’s missile tech is.

According to the Daily Mail, China launched a hypersonic nuclear-capable missile designed to travel in low orbit to dodge detection and defense systems. With this technology, China can nuke whoever they want, whenever they want with little to no warning. The launch took analysts by complete surprise with one saying ‘we have no idea how they did this.’

(READ: Chinese Military Operation Leaves US Officials Dumbfounded)

Beijing claims that this was an innocent test for “civilian spacecraft.” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said this was for “reducing the use-cost of spacecraft and could provide a convenient and affordable way to make a round trip for mankind’s peaceful use of space,” but NATO isn’t convinced according to the Mail:

Meanwhile, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg, speaking after the launch of the new missile was revealed, said the alliance will reposition itself to tackle the growing threat from China separate from its historic focus on Russia.

‘Nato is an alliance of North America and Europe. But this region faces global challenges: terrorism, cyber but also the rise of China, he told the Financial Times.

‘So when it comes to strengthening our collective defence, that’s also about how to address the rise of China. What we can predict is that the rise of China will impact our security. It already has.

‘China is coming closer to us . . . We see them in the Arctic. We see them in cyber space. We see them investing heavily in critical infrastructure in our countries. And of course they have more and more high-range weapons that can reach all Nato allied countries.’

Among the unconvinced is Gallager, who said Biden needs to “aggressively” rethink America’s relationship with China after the launch. Calling it a “call to action,” Gallagher warned what would happen if we continued to play nice with China.

“If we stick to our current complacent course… we will lose the New Cold War with Communist China within the decade,” he said in a statement.

“The People’s Liberation Army now has an increasingly credible capability to undermine our missile defenses and threaten the American homeland with both conventional and nuclear strikes,” he added.

Gallagher finished by warning American “entities” that the choice is either to side with America or with a “genocidal communist regime that now threatens our cities.”

Mike Gallagher on CCP's hypersonic missile test: "This test should serve as a call to action. If we stick to our current complacent course or place our hopes in bankrupt buzzwords like 'integrated deterrence' we will lose the New Cold War with Communist China within the decade." pic.twitter.com/zmy8QxGiQf

— Scary Dunleavy 👻🎃 (@JerryDunleavy) October 17, 2021

Gallager is likely correct. While China’s official response to the rest of the world was to convince it that it was a “peaceful” test of a civilian craft, what it told its own people via its state-run media shows its true intent according to the Mail:

Beijing did not report the test or its results at the time, but after it was disclosed the country’s state media mocked America by saying it is a ‘new blow to the US’s mentality of strategic superiority over China’.

An op-ed in the Chinese state media outlet Global Times, Beijing’s mouthpiece, said the test means ‘there is a key new member in China’s nuclear deterrence system’, adding that this is a ‘new blow to the US’s mentality of strategic superiority over China’.

To be sure, this should be worrisome to all Americans. The question is, will Biden take this threat seriously?

Biden’s approach to China has, so far, been very soft-handed. China’s obvious threats against Taiwan were lukewarm, prompting even one New York Times columnist to label his policy toward the tiny nation as “truly, deeply reckless.” The New York Post urged Biden to stand up to China’s threats as we all wonder if Biden will abandon our ally.

Biden likes to pretend he’s taking a competitive stand with China that involves consulting with allies, departing from former President Donald Trump’s position of acting unilaterally against them at the drop of a hat, but it would appear that China senses weakness from Biden and is taking advantage of it. It’s highly unlikely this would have happened under Trump, given that Trump’s immediate response would have been to directly threaten or punish the communist nation for its stunt.