US should seize on China’s big weaknesses to curb its global ambitions, Washington strategy report advises
- China’s geography and conflicts on different fronts can be used against it, forcing resources to be thinned, think tank reports to US and its allies
- Military analyst says a miscalculation overlooks Beijing’s willingness to negotiate, therefore limiting the number of disputes in its sphere
In the latest report in January, titled “Seizing on Weakness: Allied Strategy for Competing with China’s Globalising Military”, the authors said that with speedy growth and modernisation, the PLA would venture beyond the western Pacific to project power in distant theatres, which could pose challenges and threats to the US in many ways, and in both peace and wartime. The report said this expansion must be countered by exploiting China’s strategic weaknesses.
The article by centre research fellows Toshi Yoshihara and Jack Bianchi identified severe weaknesses that were unique to China and particularly susceptible to external pressure so that the US and its close allies might “enjoy a sufficient degree of agency over Chinese weaknesses … [that] if exercised, could yield strategic dividends”.
aChina’s geography – being surrounded by middle and great powers on land and sea – was one apparent weakness, according to the report.
Secondly, it must stay agile enough to manage complex crises nearby, precluding the PLA from concentrating entirely on its global mission.
And the third key weakness, as determined by the authors, is a matter of logistics to close gaps in China’s overseas infrastructure network – involving political, diplomatic, legal, economic and operational demands – to present itself as a credible military power.