Total Competition: China’s Challenge in the South China Sea

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This report argues that China is waging a campaign of ‘total competition’ in the South China Sea. Such a campaign reflects George Kennan’s concept of “political warfare” and involves the use of all tools at the state’s disposal short of war. Indeed, it includes illegitimate and destabilizing methods ordinarily avoided by benign competitors. The text’s authors explain that China’s campaign has five essential pillars: economic power, information dominance, maritime power, psychological warfare and “lawfare.” They also suggest that because of its efforts, China now appears to be an unstoppable force in the South China Sea.