Chapter 26: Pressuring the CCP to Transform and Bury Communism 2020 (Part III)

The CCP’s shift from Deng Xiaoping’s “hide and bide” approach to a wolf-warrior strategy has theoretical underpinnings. On July 23–24, 2016, China’s self-styled “national strategist” Jin Canrong delivered a lecture on “Great Power Strategy” that clearly revealed several of the CCP’s cunning tactics for dealing with the United States. Jin stated that the CCP had solved the “survival problem” and the “development problem” in previous decades, and that under Xi Jinping, the focus had shifted to the “dignity problem”: “Our generation aims to achieve parity with the United States; the next generation’s task is to manage the United States as well.” Jin also acknowledged that the United States remains very powerful, “the top dog” globally—“both capable and highly regarded, with strong popular support”—while China is still only a “recently promoted second-tier power.” Displacing the U.S. is extremely difficult, but the CCP is actively seeking ways to counter America. China’s strategy against the U.S. involves three major tactics and five overarching strategies.

The three major tactics are: Create conditions that induce mistakes by the U.S. government, eventually letting oversight mechanisms hold it accountable. Overwhelm the U.S., causing it to fatigue and lose interest. Entangle the U.S. with China so it cannot act independently, creating a mutual interdependence. Additionally, a fourth tactic involves cyber theft of technology and other covert operations.

The five strategic principles are: Develop China internally to a level that the United States has no choice but to accept. Expand China’s strategic reach as much as possible while avoiding direct confrontation with the U.S. Maximize cooperation with the U.S. to reduce the areas of competition. Conduct comprehensive infiltration of the U.S. Penetrate multiple levels of U.S. elections, including financial influence in congressional races (“If you hold thousands of votes, you effectively control them”). The final, most devious tactic is to exploit global disorder, ensuring the U.S. faces multiple simultaneous challenges.

This strategic shift under Xi Jinping—the “anchoring force” of Chinese policy—has led to bipartisan consensus in the U.S., with both hawks and doves agreeing on a policy of containment toward China. The Trump administration’s tariffs and trade war were merely the beginning; over the following years, the conflict is expected to expand into full-scale economic and political confrontation. Signs of economic and political instability have already appeared in China: Xi Jinping’s “Six Stabilities”—stability in employment, foreign trade, foreign investment, finance, investment, and expectations—indicate emerging vulnerabilities. Some foreign companies are relocating, foreign trade is fluctuating, the renminbi continues to depreciate, and exports are declining, all of which threaten employment.

Red authoritarianism represents the primary threat to U.S. security today. As President Biden remarked in his first press conference after taking office regarding Xi Jinping: “He has not a shred of democracy in him, but he is smart. Like Putin, he believes that autocracy is the future and that democracy cannot function effectively in an increasingly complex world.” The modern world is witnessing a contest between democracy and authoritarianism, and “we must prove that democracy works.” Today’s struggle is between democratic and authoritarian regimes, and future generations will study whether democracy or autocracy prevailed in this era. America’s foremost responsibility is to compel the CCP to fully reform economically and politically, abandon communist authoritarianism, transition to constitutional democracy, integrate into the civilizational mainstream, and advance with the democratic world to ensure U.S. and global security and peace.

Currently, there is bipartisan consensus in the U.S. Senate calling for firm action against China. Senator Marco Rubio stated, “The 21st century will be defined by U.S.–China relations. This is our last chance to ensure a balanced relationship.” A comprehensive strategy to counter China must include six elements: increase domestic investment in technology and R&D; counter China’s aggressive military actions; restore global fair trade; safeguard healthcare and supply chains; protect capital market transparency; and prohibit the entry of products made with forced labor into the U.S. Rubio further emphasized that any policy toward China must address China’s acts of genocide.

Zhong Wen concludes: The prospects for U.S.–China confrontation may mirror the U.S.–Soviet struggle. The CCP will likely face increasing internal instability, with dissent potentially triggering high-level changes, the collapse of Xi’s system, and a return to Deng Xiaoping’s path of reform and opening. It could even progress further, transforming toward constitutional democracy, abandoning Mao Zedong—the architect of 70 million deaths—and communism itself, becoming a democratic state. Pressuring China to transform is tantamount to removing the last stronghold of communism in the world, ultimately burying the ideology that has plagued humanity for a century. This is the 21st-century mission that the United States is duty-bound to undertake.