Experts discuss China's political warfare strategy, including cyber operations and espionage. They explore strategies to create divisions within China and the importance of industry and informing the public. The episode emphasizes the need for a comprehensive assessment of China's preparations and actions, as well as countering their political warfare tactics.
Shining a spotlight on Chinese activities and vulnerabilities, exposing the truth about the CCP's actions, is crucial to build awareness.
Recognizing the holistic approach of Chinese political warfare and developing comprehensive strategies are essential to counter it effectively.
Educating the public about the risks posed by Chinese political warfare, fostering critical thinking skills, and utilizing industry support can enhance resilience.
Deep dives
Encouraging Dissent and Building Resilience against Chinese Political Warfare
The goal is to encourage fierce dissent and build on existing dissent in the United States and its allies. This can be achieved by shining a spotlight on Chinese activities and vulnerabilities. Education is crucial in raising awareness and countering Chinese propaganda. By telling the stories of the CCP's atrocities and exposing the true nature of the regime, we can mobilize public opinion and support. Additionally, efforts should be made to penetrate the Great Firewall and communicate directly with the Chinese public. Demonstrating offset capabilities and undermining the feasibility of PLA operations can create doubts within the PLA ranks. Overall, it is essential to shine a light on Chinese political warfare and build resilience within our societies.
Understanding Chinese Political Warfare and Differences in Approaches
Chinese political warfare is defined as the use of a wide range of instruments to coerce, undermine, and weaken opponents prior to the extensive use of kinetic force. The Chinese approach is holistic and focused on weakening the opponent before engaging in kinetic operations. This includes conducting cyber operations, espionage, intelligence gathering, and manipulations of Western societies. China plans and prepares for a broader range of fronts compared to the West, including ideological dimensions. They focus on disintegration, exploiting weaknesses, and preparing for a prolonged conflict. Recognizing these differences and developing comprehensive assessments and strategies are essential to effectively counter Chinese political warfare.
Driving a Wedge Between CCP and Chinese Population
Efforts should be made to drive a wedge between the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the Chinese population. Educating our own population and leveraging those who have already recognized the CCP's tactics is key. Highlighting the dichotomy between governance in China, where the government is viewed as above the people, and the West, where governments are established by and support the people, can help undermine CCP propaganda. Exposing the CCP's shortcomings, such as corruption, failures in infrastructure, and human rights abuses, can also help create doubt within Chinese society. Leveraging industry to support narratives against subversion and coercion is crucial, and continued efforts should be made to strengthen whole-of-society resilience.
Enhancing Information Warfare Capabilities
To compete better in the information space against Chinese political warfare strategies, several areas need attention. First, language plays a crucial role—using precise terminology like CCP instead of China helps avoid confusion and manipulation. Second, classification of intelligence collection and reporting should be reevaluated to promote greater transparency, unless it compromises sources and methods. Third, while limiting access to the Chinese internet is not desirable, it is important to enhance critical thinking and media literacy education in our societies, starting from K-12 education. Finally, leveraging industry support and international partnerships can help uncover and expose Chinese propaganda and disinformation campaigns.
The Importance of Sunlight, Education, and Public Awareness
A key recommendation is to shine a spotlight on Chinese activities and vulnerabilities. Exposing the truth about the CCP's actions, such as their human rights abuses, corruption, and propaganda campaigns, is essential. Governments should not shy away from telling the true stories and educating the public about the risks posed by Chinese political warfare. Transparency in intelligence reporting, reducing overclassification, and utilizing industry support can further enhance awareness and resilience. Additionally, fostering critical thinking skills and media literacy from a young age is crucial. By promoting public awareness and understanding, we can undermine CCP narratives and build a more resilient society.
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What are the fundamental tenets of China's political warfare? What does it look like when Beijing employs political warfare in the real world? And how is it different, in both theory and practice, from traditional Western conceptualizations of warfare and its political component? This episode explores those questions and more. It features a conversation with two guests whose deep expertise gives them important perspectives on the subject. Dr. Ross Babbage is a nonresident senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, served as the head of strategic analysis in Australia’s Office of National Assessments, and is the author of the book The Next Major War: Can the US and its Allies Win against China? David Stilwell is the assistant secretary of state for the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, a retired US Air Force officer, and former director of the China Strategic Focus Group at US Indo-Pacific Command. Together, they examine China’s practice of political warfare and how other states can counter it.