'CHINA - RUSSIA ARE RIVALS'

President Trump's 'America First' security strategy lists a litany of grievances.

Washington : President Donald Trump's first National Security Strategy pillories China and Russia as ''revisionist powers'' bent on rolling back American interests, according to the hard-hitting text released on Monday.

The 68-page document -put together by key aides and designed to serve as framework for the administration's approach to the world -uses remarkably biting language to frame Beijing and Moscow as global competitors.

''China and Russia challenge American power, influence and interests, attempting to erode American security and prosperity.'' the document says -a sharp break from Trump's friendly approach to President Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin.

Accusing China of seeking ''to displace the US'' in Asia, the strategy lists a litany of  US grievances, from deficits, to data theft to spreading  ''features of its authoritarian system.'' 

''Contrary to our hopes, China expanded its power at the expense of the sovereignty of others ,'' it says.

Russian nuclear weapons are deemed ''the most significant existential threat to the US,'' and the Kremlin is described as power that ''seeks to restore its great power status and establish spheres of influence near its borders.''

''Russian aims to weaken US influence in the world and divide us from our allies and partners,'' the document warns.

Trump will expand on the new strategy based on his trademark ''America First [ slogan at a speech today.

The document which as been 11 months in the making -is required by law and is designed to form a framework for how America approaches the world.

Previous national security strategies have been released without much fanfare and served as guide posts, rather than doctrinal commandments.

But in this topsy-turvy administration, the document has taken on extra significance.

Allies now look to it for clarity about the intentions of the world's pre-eminent economic and military power.

The text identifies four more priorities protecting the country and the American people, promoting American prosperity; preserving peace through strength and advancing American influence.

Foreign officials in Washington often complain that there effectively ''two administrations'' -one that they hear from day-to-day in contacts with the State Department and Pentagon and another coming from Trump, often via Twitter in 280 characters or fewer.

Trump and his advisers often publicly differ starkly on fundamental security issues, from the Middle-East to talks with North Korea.

But there is little evidence that Trump who has bucked norms repeatedly in his meteoric rise to power, will stick to the script.