The intelligence officers responsible for U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) organizations played their China cards face up as they described a nation bent on world domination at the expense of Western values and freedoms. In an overflow panel at TechNet Indo-Pacific 2019, being held November 19-21 in Honolulu, these experts—called the “2s” for their billet designation—cited facts to buttress their observations that China has abandoned its longtime cover stories and is now waging all-out competition with the institutions and nations that defined the cooperative postwar era.

Panel moderator Rear Adm. Michael Studeman, USN, the J-2 at INDOPACOM, described how China has undertaken a long march to its current adversarial position. “In the 1990s, I had hoped that China’s rise would be a story of progress toward a more open society,” he recalled. “Unfortunately, that is not what we have today and not what you’ll see any time in your lifetime.

“We now know the nature of China’s rise. We have the answer, and it’s not a good one,” he declared. “By 2049 at the latest, China expects to be the most powerful nation in the world.”

China allows for realistic [military] training in ways that would boggle your mind.—Rear Adm. Michael Studeman, USN, J-2, @INDOPACOM #AFCEATechNet — Bob Ackerman (@rkackerman) November 20, 2019

The admiral described the different ways China is expanding its influence globally. It signs up small countries to invest in major construction projects, many of which are part of its Belt and Road initiative. It lends them the money, then it wields undue influence on the construction—often with imported Chinese labor—and saddles the small nation with huge debt. China then moves in as the small nations are unable to repay the debt, and then exacts a price through influence and control.

“The Chinese black hand starts with the commercial ventures and eventually bleeds over into the security area,” Adm. Studeman explained. “The cost of doing business with China is backloaded. They focus their corrupt practices on business and power, which allows them to coerce after they co-opt. To create a client state, China assesses; grooms; consolidates; and controls people in a foreign nation. Then the PRC [People’s Republic of China] shapes host nation political, economic and foreign policy.

“Once China gets a piece of Earth [in a foreign country], they act like it’s sovereign territory,” he warranted.

China uses ill-gotten ways to advance its rise. We could cite thousands of ways.—Rear Adm. Michael Studeman, USN, J-2, @INDOPACOM #AFCEATechNet — Bob Ackerman (@rkackerman) November 20, 2019

Part of this effort entails shifting global opinions in favor of the Chinese model of authoritarianism. “A country that suppresses dissent at home is one that has a particular tactic that they then can protect outward,” the admiral pointed out. “'China making the world safe for authoritarianism’ is not an exaggeration.”

Capt. Trent Fingerson, USN, J-2, Special Operations Command Pacific, added to that point. “China’s [propaganda] is authoritative, repetitive, consistent and constant,” he said.

The whole of the counter-ISRT needs to be integrated into our training.—Capt. Trent Fingerson, USN, J-2, Special Operations Command Pacific @SOCPAC #AFCEATechNet — Bob Ackerman (@rkackerman) November 20, 2019

One aspect of China’s push to upend Western institutions is an ad-hoc alliance with Russia, which shares China’s desire to counter U.S. influence. While this has been troublesome to the United States and its allies, Adm. Studeman noted that this pairing is not without its drawbacks. “I think Russia, in its quiet conversations, worries about being a pawn of the Chinese,” he suggested. “Putin will have to come to terms with the idea that they will be the junior partner in that relationship.” The admiral added that the relationship between Russia and China has “quiet points of friction” that the United States should exploit.

There are quiet points of friction between Russia and China that we should exploit.—Rear Adm. Michael Studeman, USN, J-2, @INDOPACOM #AFCEATechNet — Bob Ackerman (@rkackerman) November 20, 2019

Militarily, the United States should respond with better training and doctrine based on China’s clear goals, Col. Michael A. Marti, USA, G-2, U.S. Army Pacific, said, “What’s most concerning to me is what [China] is going to do with its force modernization. China has looked at our doctrine, and they have looked at Russia’s. They are organizing their ground forces into brigade combat teams, like we have.” The colonel added that this could give the United States an edge in countering Chinese forces.

China’s glide path to becoming very competent with this modernized capability is concerning.—Col. Michael A. Marti, USA, G-2, U.S. Army Pacific @USARPAC #AFCEATechNet — Bob Ackerman (@rkackerman) November 20, 2019

Col. Jacob J. Holmgren, USAF, A-2, Pacific Air Forces, warned that China’s incorporation of mid-air refueling capabilities extends the reach of its bomber forces far beyond its borders. “Their stealth technology, especially the J-20, is something that we are watching closely,” he added.

Their stealth technology, especially the J-20, is something that we are watching closely.—Col. Jacob J. Holmgren, USAF, A-2, Pacific Air Forces @PACAF #AFCEATechNet — Bob Ackerman (@rkackerman) November 20, 2019

“China also has a very respectable EW and cyber capability, and that probably is the one thing that keeps me up at night,” the colonel allowed.

The PLA isn’t rising. It has risen.—Capt. Anthony Butera, USN, N2/N39, U.S. Pacific Fleet @USPacificFleet #AFCEATechNet — Bob Ackerman (@rkackerman) November 20, 2019

Capt. Anthony Butera, USN, N2/N39, U.S. Pacific Fleet, expressed, “Our [aircraft] carriers are at risk, but I would not call them vulnerable. That implies weakness.” He added, “The pressure of PRC maritime forces is increasing, but we are meeting that pressure. So are our partners."