Within this article, we’ve curated context on China’s investment in propaganda and influence operations related to their global ambitions.

Whether it is the teetering Chinese economy, the recent debate around the expiration of the U.S.-China Science and Technology Agreement (STA) (the agreement was, in fact, renewed for six months in late August of 2023) or China’s recent countermeasures in the global chip supply chain war – the great power competition between the U.S. and China is, arguably, a consistently fraying Binary Fracture.

In his most recent post – The U.S. National Intelligence Strategy Seeks to Squeeze China via Partnerships – OODA Loop contributor Emilio Iasiello pointed out that the U.S. Intelligence Community (IC) is “bolstering its capabilities on everything from advanced technologies to supply chain control when competing against Beijing and Moscow across economic, military, and political spheres”…a statement of U.S. intent that “garnered harsh reaction from Chinese press that criticized it as a throwback to Cold War and that the U.S. needs to fight against an adversary to justify itself in the world.”

While the Chinese press may push the narrative that the U.S. wants to return to the structures of the binary fractures of the cold war, the CPC is turning its innovative powers to a new construct they call “discourse power” –  which includes formal, global operations (tethered directly to Beijing) used to influence the global narrative (with both criticism of rivals and propoganda designed to promote the “Chinese Dream”).

Starting in April 2022 through its most recent publication in August 2023, the Altantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab’s (DFRLab’s) “discourse power” series has released three reports, with insights and analysis on China’s discourse power (what we used to call “soft power”) efforts on the global media stage and through the digital network ecosystem.

What is “Discourse Power”?

According is the DFRLab authors, “as China’s military and economic power has grown, so too has its investment in propaganda and influence operations. Following Xi Jinping’s rise to power and China’s adoption of a more confrontational foreign policy, the country saw a need to sway global public opinion in its favor. Beijing refers to this as “discourse power,” a strategy to increase China’s standing on the world stage by promoting pro-China narratives while criticizing geopolitical rivals. The end goal is to shape a world that is more amenable to China’s expressions, and expansion, of power.”

Reports in the Series

China’s discourse power operations in the Global South:  An overview of Chinese activities in Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East

Chinese discourse power: Ambitions and reality in the digital domain:  China has embarked on a concerted strategy to gain discourse power via the digital domain. It has done so through several mechanisms: by shaping local information ecosystems via social and digital media platforms, by promoting CCP-approved norms for digital governance and Chinese-developed international technical standards, and by offering the physical digital and Internet infrastructure on which these information ecosystems rely at an affordable cost, and with no conditions for how it is used.

Chinese discourse power: Capabilities and impact:  This report assesses this through a frame of “media convergence” (融媒体), a Chinese term that refers to the integration of internal and external Chinese Communist Party (CCP) propaganda, the online and offline channels for its dissemination, and the mechanisms of oversight on which communications systems rely.

Additional  Resources

Economic Weakness in China: China’s economy faces dim prospects exacerbated by disasters, COVID-19, and geopolitical tensions. Amid limited financial transparency, some indicators suggest China’s economic growth is severely stunted, impacting global economic stability. See: China Threat Brief

Demographic Time Bomb: Industrialized nations face demographic challenges, with a growing elderly population outnumbering the working-age demographic. Countries like Japan and China are at the forefront, feeling the economic and social ramifications of an aging society. See: Global Risks and Geopolitical Sensemaking

The Inevitable Acceleration of Reshoring and its Challenges: The momentum towards reshoring, nearshoring, and friendshoring signals a global shift towards regional self-reliance. Each region will emphasize local manufacturing, food production, energy generation, defense, and automation. Reshoring is a complex process, with numerous examples of failures stemming from underestimating intricacies. Comprehensive analyses encompassing various facets, from engineering to finance, are essential for successful reshoring endeavors. See: Opportunities for Advantage