Assessing the implications of China’s economic and informational statecraft for U.S. interests, and what would be a tolerable level of Chinese influence, requires an examination of the outcomes of such activities.
In short, the scope of Beijing’s influence activities in various countries thus far exceeds their influence. In the economic realm, it has encountered considerable pushback and often shot itself in the foot, although the diffuse lure of economic interdependence remains a powerful draw and one that is hard for Washington to tackle without offering alternative or complementary economic opportunities.
On the information front, China’s disinformation tactics still have relatively limited sophistication and reach, but the evolution and expansion of its positive propaganda campaigns, especially messages focused on performance outcomes of its political system, could have a negative effect on democratic attitudes.
Other worrying trends include the confluence of information statecraft and foreign influence activities targeting the diaspora, as well as the growing synergies between economic and informational statecraft.