Monte Erfourth
Introduction
China's approach to Irregular Warfare (IW) is integral to its broader military and geopolitical strategy, designed to complement conventional forces and expand influence through non-kinetic means. China is weaving an irregular strategy that extends beyond traditional battlegrounds into the social, economic, and informational realms by leveraging information, influence, and non-state actors. China calls IW “Hybrid Warfare,” but we will use IW interchangeably in this discussion.
To confuse matters even more, the U.S. refers to the realm between peace and war as the gray zone. In contrast to China’s ambiguous and integrated approach to competition short of conflict, the U.S. approach to IW and gray zone activities has often been compartmentalized, focusing heavily on Special Operations Forces (SOF) and a mixed bag of diplomatic, economic, and informational conventional tools. U.S. intelligence services likely have the most success exploiting the gray zone, but they must be better coordinated and revelatory about the effects. A U.S. and China comparison of gray zone approaches shows significant differences in the scope, patience, and flexibility between the two nations, with China embracing a more diverse and integrated approach.
The United States should revise its gray zone strategy to counter China and effectively advance and protect its national security interests within the context of Great Power Competition. This article aims to enhance understanding of Beijing's perspective on Irregular Warfare (IW), including its historical context and the application of IW operations in the gray zone. A comparison between the two approaches will demonstrate the need for strategic adaptation in the U.S. approach.
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