12: DRAGON’S BRAIN: DIFFERENTLY WIRED (PART 2: STRATEGIC AND MILITARY THOUGHTS)

This is continuation of the previous article on the same subject. This part lists out the aspects related to strategies, tactics and means employed as a weapon for achievement of desired goals. These aspects are as follows:

Strategic and Military Thoughts

Rich Strategic Tradition. China has had a number of scholars and philosophers in her thousands of years of history. Chinese Confucian philosophy advocates peaceful political solutions and discourages use of military force. But the works of a number of well-known strategists have heavily influenced her military philosophy, warfare, and political discourse.

Sun Tzu. Sun Tzu was a Chinese general, military strategist, writer and philosopher. He is traditionally credited as the author of The Art of War, an influential work of military strategy. His works focus on alternatives to battle, such as stratagem, delay, the use of spies and alternatives to war itself, the making and keeping of alliances, the uses of deceit and a willingness to submit, at least temporarily, to more powerful foes. His writings have deeply influenced military thought in China. Major ones which are visible in China’s actions are as follows:

• • “The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.”

• • “All warfare is based on deception. Hence, when we are able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must appear inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near.”

• • “Appear weak when you are strong, and strong when you are weak.”

• • “When strong, avoid them. If of high morale, depress them. Seem humble to fill them with conceit. If at ease, exhaust them. If united, separate them. Attack their weaknesses. Emerge to their surprise.”

• • “There is no instance of a nation benefitting from prolonged warfare.”

• • “Let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt.”

• • “Move swift as the Wind and closely-formed as the Wood. Attack like the Fire and be still as the Mountain.”

Strategy Board Games. Strategy is also derived from the board game Xiangqi and Wei Qi. Xiangqi a strategy board game equivalent of chess. The game represents a battle between two armies, with the object of capturing the enemy’s general (king). In words of Mr Henry Kissinger “If chess is about the decisive battle, Wei Qi is about the protracted campaign, The chess player aims for total victory. The Wei Qi player seeks relative advantage”.

Three war theory. This theory is followed by China.

• • Intimidate by posturing and muscle flexing.

• • Use psychological warfare to influence adversary’s mind.

• • Stake claims and justify them legally with fabricated and tailored narratives and documents.

Ends Matter not the Means. As the heading suggests, achievement of aim or goal is important, not the method used to achieve it. Classic example is her defense industry (especially aerospace) which is based on industrial espionage and reverse engineering. Some aspects are as follows:

• • Treachery, blackmail (arm twisting), misinformation, deceit and deception are the norm.

• • Laws, morality, trust, commitment and friendship do not count in the scheme of things.

• • Treaties are meant for convenience or to buy time.

• • Human rights are not recognized or honored.

• • Opportunism is acceptable and used often. Present day aggressive behavior in pandemic times is a classic example of opportunism. In the words of Sun Tzu – “In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity”. “Opportunities multiply as they are seized.”

Means to achieve Ends. Besides military, China is known to turn everything into a weapon or means to be used for achieving its aim.

• • History. Believes in the adage that “History is like a little child, which can be dressed any way you like”. Produces tailored historical documents to validate and legalize its claims.

• • Infrastructure Development. China has good infrastructure development capability and uses it to trap the countries world over. It is a win-win situation, because in exchange of loans and infra development she takes over the control or rights over vital assets and resources.

• • Economy. China is known to use her so called cheque book diplomacy to trap vulnerable countries into debt trap. This is achieved by imbalanced trade practices or grant of loans with adverse conditions for the borrowing country.

• • Water. China even uses water resources as a means to impose her will. By extensive dam building and connecting rivers it controls the water flow. This has adverse effect on the downstream riparian states.

• • Information. Information is used extensively by China.

• • • China monitors its own people extensively and uses the information to control them. Artificial Intelligence is being used for this purpose.

• • • China tries to obtain information by any means possible, from educational institutions, research and development organizations and industrial mega houses of countries worldwide.

• • • China also uses the media information manipulation to shape the environment and perception in its favor.

• • Cyber Domain. China has an advanced Cyber Warfare capability. She uses cyber domain to attack and create disruption / chaos in the enemy systems and networks.

• • Space Domain. China has progressed well in the domain of space, not only for peaceful use but even for military use. Besides communications, she  has very good space surveillance capability. China has its own GPS supported by a constellation of dedicated satellites. She has already demonstrated its anti-satellite capabilities, weaponizing the domain of space.

• • Nuclear Domain. China has a number of nuclear weapons and delivery systems. Numerically it may not be at par with the US or Russia, but it is trying to catch up with them. She refuses to be a part of any nuclear control treaty, biding  time to enhance her capabilities.

Click here to read Part 3: Dealing with China