Unveiling China's Stealth Assertiveness

Unraveling Stealth Tactics

Once dismissed by Rob Spalding, an Air Force officer, the Chinese war manual, "Unrestricted Warfare," today stands as a blueprint for China's global dominance strategy. The manual underlines China's multifaceted strategy involving corporate sabotage, cyber warfare, intellectual property theft, and deceitful diplomacy. Grasping this strategy, Spalding insists, is vital for managing China's escalating influence and preserving the American dream.

China's Subtle War

Although skeptical intially, Spalding deciphers China's methodical undermining strategy that is gradually challenging the global authority of the U.S. Ploys such as manipulating COVID policies, evading the virus origins, and conducting disinformation campaigns are key levers of this strategy.

Underestimated Influence

Late realization of the grave Chinese threat has led Spalding to illuminate the interlink between the strategies outlined in "Unrestricted Warfare" and the events of the past two decades. Strikingly, the tenacity and power of the Chinese threat continues to be underestimated by the Biden administration, necessitating an even larger need to understand and counter this influence.

Comprehending China's Covert Strategy

China’s Strategic COVID-19 Response

There's an urgent need to comprehend our potential opponents, ideally the Chinese Communist Party. Spalding's analysis suggests that the United States couldn't comprehend the mindset of the Chinese leadership during the COVID-19 outbreak. China, however, capitalized on the coronavirus and promoted a global misinformation campaign to play down the seriousness of the virus while lauding their own strategic response.

Deceptive Practices by China

It's astounding yet chilling to note that while China was imposing lockdowns internally, it allowed international journeys from its virus-hit city, Wuhan. It worked diligently to manipulate global opinion through a cunning misinformation campaign regarding their COVID-19 response.

Strategic Advancement Amid Crisis

China had no qualms about censoring their medical practitioners, withholding crucial data from the World Health Organization, and resisting investigations into the virus's roots. The pandemic was leveraged by China to gain economic edge over the west—swiftly bouncing back and manufacturing indispensable commodities.

Crafting a New World Order

China’s primary objective remains its own survival, viewing American democracy as the prime threat to this endgame. With ambitions of emerging as the dominant global force by 2049—a century after the Communist takeover—they exploit diverse tactics such as intellectual property theft, manipulation of foreign corporations and labs, strategic social media use and wielding influence over other governments, to realize this vision.

Unrestricting Warfare: A Modern-Day Approach

The Nuance of Unrestricted Warfare

Two Chinese colonels assert a fresh perspective on warfare in 'Unrestricted Warfare'. They imply that modern conflicts extend past the bounds of traditional military confrontations. Varying warfare tactics, spanning information, economy, and technology, are integral to this new form of combat. The crux lies in the judicious utilization of an array of strategies – both non-lethal and lethal – to pressure the adversary into compliance.

Adaptable Strategy: The Key to Victory

The authors stress the power of 'addition', wherein merging different strategies has an amplifying effect. This approach is not new, but stems from centuries of Chinese thought on warfare, incorporating Sun Tzu's principles of achieving victory sans violence. They advocate a broader concept of international relations and warfare, highlighting the significance of long-term objectives and exercising dominance through whatever means necessary.

Stealthily Enforcing Interests

A spotlight shines on the subtle, yet powerful methods beyond physical combat. Tactics, such as psychological warfare, media manipulation, large-scale espionage, smuggling warfare, financial market disruption, and dominating international organizations, are proposed. The authors even delve into modern combat aspects, such as the influence of technology, computers, and the internet, predicting the rise in cyber warfare and organized hacker warfare.

Chinese Influence: A Long-Term Tactical Approach

Guided by centuries of Chinese cultural knowledge on warfare, the authors back a holistic, long-term approach to conflicts. This perspective leads to a strategic blend of different tactics – a 'cocktail mixture of warfare'. Referencing Mao Zedong's 'hundred-year marathon' strategy, the authors affirm the importance of patience in Chinese warfare, avoiding direct conflict with Western powers where possible. Unsurprisingly, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) views the U.S. as its predominant enemy, blaming it for the Tiananmen Square protests and fueling what is called the New Cold War.

Decoding China's Technological Warfare Strategy

China's Intricate Web of War

Illuminating the role of technology in the labyrinth of modern warfare, the book 'Unrestricted Warfare' reveals China’s strategic pursuit to outpace the United States. Highlighting an over-reliance of the US on technology for warfare, it criticizes their under-appreciation of its uses and potential pitfalls.

From Tech Theft to Power Play

The text explicates how China believes in the potent role of technology, not just as a weapon, but as a critical player in escalating warfare. Confidently asserting that stealing technology is a crucial warfare task, China mobilizes its approach, shunning traditional restrictions.

Army Aims and Global Games

Presenting an intriguing contrast between the Chinese and US military, the narrative discerns how the former prioritizes the Chinese Communist Party's interests while the latter safeguards its people and Constitution. It forecasts a technological tug-of-war that pivots on compelling the enemy to capitulate to their interests.

Understanding Unrestricted Warfare

Technology: The New Warfare Power House

China's way of controlling multinational corporations, exemplified by their manipulation of a US corporation's decision, marks their strategy of unrestricted warfare. This harnessing of information technology isn’t just innovative but also a demonstration of their expansive approach to harnessing the power of people and data.

Thinking Beyond Traditional Warfare

China's concept of unrestricted warfare stretches far beyond traditional warfare paradigms. Contrary to the classical focus on dominant weaponry technologies, they leverage their vast resources and employ a strategy of total weaponization. This strategy emphasizes the value of tactics and strategy over an exclusive obsession with high-tech weaponry.

The Rise of Kinder Weapons

Strategists are now veering towards 'kinder' weapons in the modern warfare architecture. Tools like precision-kill and non-lethal weapons aim to gain control over the enemy, reducing mass casualties. It's a shift in military strategy, from large-scale destruction to precise, controlled strikes.

Modern Warfare: A Boundless Battlefield

The Naivety of Trust

In the realm of international relations and counter-narcotics operations, the naive trust of the US government in partnering with China has been underlined as a glaring misconception. The cornerstone of this critique lies in the misjudged cooperation between the two nations in the fight against drug smuggling, with an underestimation of China's dubious intentions and actions.

Blurring Lines in Warfare

Today, warfare is not restricted to battlegrounds or defined enemies. It's more complex, with blurred boundaries separating military and civilian spheres. Cyber warfare and terrorism are now part and parcel of modern conflict, redefining traditional conceptions of 'war zones'.

Delving into Chinese Warfare History

The roots of Chinese warfare run deep in history and culture. Propaganda and selective narrations of past incidents, such as the Opium Wars, have helped shape anti-Western sentiments and stoke nationalism within the Chinese populace.

Non-military Warfare: A New Reality

The face of warfare is changing. It is no longer confined to bullets and battlefields. Trade wars, financial wars, ecological wars, and psychological wars now form the new and complex reality that world powers must contend with.

Unpacking Desert Storm Lessons

Insights from a Pyrrhic Victory

In Operation Desert Storm, a quick triumph using technology-heavy arsenal might have lulled us into misguided expectations for future warfare. This battle highlights the growing importance of diplomatic groundwork and media impact, influencing the entire course of war.

The Impact of Legislation on Warfare

The Goldwater-Nichols Act had a significant part to play in shaping the outcome of this conflict. This piece of policy streamlined procedures within the U.S. military, making processes more efficient, thereby showing the influential role that legislation can have on the battlefield.

The Rising Role of Media in Battle

We can't discount the influential role played by the media in Desert Storm. Creating favorable narratives and alliances with military forces, the media's scope of impact is broader than we might think, an involvement that's only going to increase as time goes by.

Rethinking The Art of War

A Fleeting Grip on Warfront Control

The US has showcased certain frailties in its warfare strategy, particularly visible in its hasty withdrawal from Afghanistan, a move forced by its dread of casualties. This action though contradicted the counsel of military advisers who stressed the need for a retained tactical force.

War's Evolving Rulebook

Disappointingly, the US’ handling of the Second Gulf War, characterized by poor management and steep casualty rates, had already been foreseen by military colonels. They maintained that a comprehension of the transforming rules of warfare could have lessened the harsh consequence of the conflict.

High-Tech War: Costly Yet Ineffective

Additionally, the US’ affinity for opulent warfare, which prioritizes advancing weaponry aimed at mitigating casualties, has drawn sharp criticism. Paradoxically, this fear of combat losses is seen as a potential weak point as adversaries can leverage it to their advantage.

Limits of Total Dimensional Warfare

While the Pentagon has introduced the concept of the 'total dimensional warfare', this doesn't fully embrace the unrestricted, holistic approach needed in modern conflicts. This method also distracts from using other powerful tools to tackle pressing issues such as China's aggression in the South China Sea.

Understanding China's Approach to Unrestricted Warfare

China's Encroachment on International Order

Big things are happening on the international stage, with China flexing its muscle. It's subtle, yet influential; causing ripples by gradually usurping international institutions and making critical decisions. Obama did decry China's blatant disregard for the rules, particularly their intellectual property theft, yet Washington's reaction has been relatively soft.

Just picture it: member nations of international bodies, sleepy under the illusion of global unity, meanwhile, China strategically positions its leaders into key appointments and manipulates the platforms to push its agenda.

Threats Beyond Traditional Warfare

Think of it not as an arms race, but a convergence of shifting threats and new-age warfare techniques. The concept is unrestricted warfare; an ominous blend of terrorism, financial manipulation, and cyber attacks. Conventional armies and defense systems may falter in the face of these non-military threats, leading to a burgeoning concern about national security.

China’s Tactical Maneuvers and Unchecked Growth

Sparkling examples of China's covert operations are plenty. China has outsmarted the rules to receive a bulk of the World Bank development loans, while Osama Bin Laden used financial routes and economic loopholes for terrorist activities. As a result, the threat of non-military measures to national security elevates with the growth in international rules and treaties.

Exploring the Game of Global Influence

Traditional rules and precepts are being weaponized; one nation could attack another without using an army. Such moves can disrupt the global balance, causing a shift in power dynamics without firing a single bullet. The inability to manage these non-military threats effectively is becoming our Achilles’ heel, fragmenting the international order and crippling response mechanisms.

Understanding Modern Warfare Tactics

Revolution in Modern Warfare

Ever thought about the complexities of modern warfare? It's no longer just about rifles and tanks. 'Unrestricted Warfare,' penned by Qiao Liang and Wang Xiangsui, offers a lens into a more intricate battle strategy. The authors propose utilizing all available tools and techniques to befuddle and subdue the adversary. A fusion of military and non-military strategies, including economic and information warfare, is encouraged for maximum impact.

The Need for Decisive Command

Coordinating a multitude of tactics requires strong command and control. Like an orchestra conductor balancing the melodies of various instruments, leaders have to harmoniously combine warfare strategies to achieve success. Conflicts like the Iraq War and the US embassy siege in Iran underscore the effectiveness of these combination warfare tactics.

Breaking Traditional Military Boundaries

Winning wars isn't confined to the battlefield anymore. It’s about thinking outside the box and leveraging non-conventional means. From hacking corporate systems to crippling economies, these are the battlegrounds of the 21st century. The authors emphasize the need to recognize the power of combining different tactics to bring adversaries to their knees, no matter how unconventional.

Unveiling China's Unconventional Warfare Tactics

Unraveling the 'Unrestricted Warfare'

In the eye-opening work 'Stealth War: How China Took Over While America's Elite Slept', Spalding explores Colonels Qiao Liang and Wang Xiangsui's provocative 'Unrestricted Warfare'. In this blueprint for a new kind of war devoid of any limitations, the colonels envision omnidirectionality, synchrony, limited objectives, and unlimited measures as the four pillars of this novel form of combat. They declare the advent of a new era without rules, where warfare extends its fangs into realms like politics, economics, technology, culture, and more, with China positioned at the helm.

Unmasking China's Recent Actions

With recent movements such as the Hong Kong takeover and the exploitation of the COVID pandemic, China's actions beautifully mirror the doctrines of 'Unrestricted Warfare'. Spalding perceives these strategies as illustrative of China's pursuit of global supremacy, leveraging societal shifts and subverting the domains beyond the military sphere. However, this unprecedented power maneuver is not void of chinks in the armor.

Spotlight on China's Vulnerabilities

China's rise is mitigated by its own vulnerabilities. Aging population, economic debt, and an increasing backlash against human rights abuses put forth exploitable weaknesses. These shortcomings are valuable opportunities for the United States and other countries to counter China's stratospheric ascent. Yet, there's a fundamental change required in the approach towards China.

A Paradigm Shift in Perception

Spalding, in his compelling narrative, exhorts America to shake off its complacency and see its relationship with China for what it truly is — a war. He calls for a strategic and comprehensive approach, not in terms of a 'challenge' or 'competition', but an actual war. In essence, this work demands a radical reimagining of international dynamics and a reconstruction of how we approach geopolitical warfare.

Confronting China's Influence Strategically

Humanitarian Crisis and Skepticism

The discussion illuminates the pivotal role of skepticism towards China in dealing with the COVID-19 crisis more effectively. Assertion of the notion that, had there been a more suspicious stance towards the Chinese Communist Party's actions and claims regarding the virus's emergence, numerous lives might have been saved.

The Power of Citizen Action

The content equally accentuates the paramount role that ordinary individuals, voters particularly, can play in curbing Chinese aggression. How? It all boils down to their consumer decisions, investments, and political preferences. It signifies a collective defense tactic against China's assertive techniques.

Strategic Introspection of China

Adding to that, acquiring a thorough understanding of China's maneuver is deemed essential for victorious resistance. The emphasis leans towards a robust defense strategy, tackling the oppressive moves of China.

Current Administration and Global Inclusion

On top of that, despite the Biden administration continuing its aggressive approach towards China, the text underscores the need for more orchestrated and strategic action plans. The advocacy is for a globally inclusive, affirmative strategy developed on three tenets: Protection, Reconstruction, and Inspiration.

Back to the Strategy Drawing Board

The strategy is also promoted to encourage trade with democratic nations that echo US values, allocate more investment in infrastructure, energy, STEM education, research, and development, and strengthen collaborations with developed allies to stimulate economic prosperity tied with the rule of law and democratic principles.

Concrete Steps and International Alliances

Last but not least, practical steps, such as instigating travel restrictions and monitoring visitors from China, as well as protecting data and countering China's influence in the AI industry, are also put under the limelight. The discussion concludes with insights on enhancing and expanding alliances like Quad and AUKUS to deter Chinese aggression effectively.

Unraveling China's Threat: A Deep Dive

Tackling China’s National Security Threat

China's growing threat to national security is no longer being ignored. The rampant aggression of the Chinese government, particularly against Taiwan, has prompted a unanimous response from the White House, State, and Defence departments. In fact, even the CIA has restructured its priorities to focus more on China's activities, a development most find encouraging.

Huawei: A Threat Hidden in Communication Networks

The gradual infiltration of Huawei, a Chinese telecommunications firm, into our communication networks poses a serious, yet often overlooked, threat. Exploiting the vulnerabilities of national communication networks, it lays the groundwork for potential cybercrimes, hacking, and espionage. Fortunately, bipartisan efforts are curbing Huawei's ambitions, setting a commendable precedent for handling other malevolent Chinese enterprises.

SEMPRE: The Vanguard Against Cybercrime

One notable effort to resist this cyber onslaught is SEMPRE, a company committed to fortifying our lines of communication. By offering secure cell phone towers and computing platforms, SEMPRE aims to thwart cybercrimes and safeguard our systems from sabotage.

Decoding the Chinese Economic Puzzle

It's clear that the US government is pulling no punches when it comes to Chinese companies, intensifying rules and resisting any urge to ease tariffs. But what's astonishing is the potential unravelling of China's state-controlled economy from within. With the collapse of the real estate sector and crippling energy shortages, China's own internal issues might expose an Achilles heel.

The Implications of Xi Jinping's Crackdown

These internal issues are compounded by President Xi Jinping's unnerving crackdown on successful companies. This move not only risks stifling productivity and innovation but also presents an opportunity for the world to counter China’s growing influence. Recognizing and capitalizing on these Chinese vulnerabilities, therefore, is instrumental to our global strategy.