The Next Front in US-China Competition Is the Homefront |
The national emblem of the People’s Republic of China, made of flowers, is part of the decorations for the China National Day in the Shinan district of Qingdao. The Chinese Communist Party continues to influence US elections. (Shutterstock/Sergey Malumuzh)
The Next Front in US-China Competition Is the Homefront
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China is attempting to influence US politics and simulate public opinion with bottom-up, pseudo-organic operations.
In the aftermath of the high-level summit between Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping last month, much discussion focused on the substance of the agenda, from ongoing negotiations, tariffs, curbing the amount of fentanyl exported to the United States, and “opening new spaces” on Taiwan. Even the leaders’body language was debated. While the outcome of the meetings might lead to more purchases of American airplanes and a broader stabilization of the relationship, Beijing’s effort to shape the American political environment at the local level was not on the agenda.
China’s influence activity has increasingly shifted toward softer targets: social media ecosystems, local politics, diaspora organizations, campaign finance networks, universities, and state-level institutions. Most worryingly, these campaigns now appear to reflect organic American community sentiment.
Beijing’s influence campaigns manifest in both the digital and physical realms. In the run-up to the 2024 presidential election, social media analytics firm........