Chinese
Information Operations Capabilities 2004
'China’s
People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is embarked on an ambitious,
long-term
military modernization effort to develop capabilities to fight
and win short-duration,
high- intensity conflicts along its periphery. China’s
defense modernization is broad
reaching, encompassing the transformation of virtually all
aspects of the military
establishment, to include weapon systems, operational doctrine,
institution building, and
personnel reforms. China values military power to defend economic
interests, secure
territorial claims, and build political influence commensurate
with its status as a regional
power with global aspirations. In recent years, the PLA has
accelerated reform and
modernization in response to the central leadership’s
concerns that developments across
the Taiwan Strait could put at risk Beijing’s objectives
for Taiwan unification..'
May
2004
...
Information Operations
The PLA
is developing its information operations (IO) capabilities
to target and
damage
or destroy enemy information systems and weaken the enemy’s
command, control, and
overall operational capabilities. Even though these capabilities
are improving and the
PLA is conducting IO training, equipment is dated and does not
appear to be readily
available to most units. Although current PLA IO systems are
older, domestic production,
along with foreign technology transfers, probably will give the
PLA access to a wider
range of modern equipment in the future.
...
Information Operations
China is experiencing a rapid buildup of its information technology
capabilities. The
Chinese government effectively uses market access and regulations
to force major
foreign information technology companies to transfer technology,
share know- how, and,
more recently, open research and development labs in China. Many
of the Chinese
companies in these joint ventures are affiliated with state research
institutes under the
Ministry of Information Industry or the PLA’s General Staff
Department. As a result of
these trends, China is acquiring the personnel and technology
bases for a credible
computer network operations capability. However, highly skilled
information technology
personnel may seek to avoid government service or cooperation
with the government
sector, preferring instead the economic incentives of the private
sector. In addition, poor
information technology management skills and a corporate culture
that does not
emphasize innovation are hindering development of advanced technology
capabilities
and programs.
...
Information Operations
During a cross-Strait conflict, China most
likely would initiate an intensive perception
management campaign, with both global and regional audiences, to
reduce the desire of
Taiwan to resist, justify China’s military campaign, and
deter US intervention. China
anticipates that this strategy will succeed because of the fragility
of the Taiwan
population’s psychology. The Chinese perception management
campaign most likely
would use Chinese, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and other regional media
to deliver messages to
the Taiwan people and leaders.
Unclassified
Chinese writings reveal that attacking C4I systems, civilian
information
technology, and communication infrastructure are critical for
gaining information
superiority. Prior to an attack, Chinese information operations
personnel and special
forces or espionage agents most likely would gain and maintain
access to such
communication nodes for intelligence exploitation and disrupt
critical infrastructure, such
as the power grid and vulnerable collocated military and civilian
telecommunications.
Exploiting other portions of the information operations spectrum
(through electronic
warfare and denial and deception) also could disrupt Taiwan’s
defenses, and attacks
against unclassified DoD computer networks related to logistics
could delay US efforts to
intervene.
Source:
Annual Report on the Military Power of the People's Republic
of China, 2004
See also:
Annual
Report on the Military Power of the People's Republic of China, 2003
Chinese
Information Warfare: A Phantom Menace or Emerging Threat? by
Mr. Toshi Yoshihara (November 2001). As a step to clarify the
future direction of Chinese information warfare (IW) and to
identify new areas for further research, this monograph explores
Chinese perspectives
of IW through a sampling of the burgeoning open literature
circulating in China. The author provides a preliminary assessment
of these Chinese
writings and analysis, and demonstrates some linkages and parallels
to America's current debates on IW, the Soviet-U.S. competition,
Clausewitz's classic dictums, and Chinese strategic culture.
He concludes with implications of future developments in Chinese
IW for American
policy.
Like
Adding Wings to the Tiger: Chinese Information War Theory and Practice by
Mr. Timothy L. Thomas , Foreign Military Studies Office, Fort Leavenworth,
KS
Unrestricted Warfare by
Qiao Liang and Wang Xiangsui (Beijing: PLA Literature and Arts
Publishing House, February 1999)
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