China's Strategic Playbook in the U.S.

China's Strategic Play Book

In an era where warfare is no longer defined strictly by weapons and soldiers, nations are leveraging more subtle tactics—psychological operations, economic pressure, and information control—to undermine their rivals. One of the most complex examples of this dynamic is the growing tension between the United States and China, where traditional diplomacy has given way to a battle for public perception and national stability.

China’s Psychological Influence Campaigns

Recent online trends and viral content suggest that psychological warfare tactics—once reserved for the battlefield—are now being adapted for use in the information age. A growing number of accounts and influencers on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube have begun promoting content predicting widespread unrest, a second U.S. civil war, and a generational uprising. These narratives often emphasize racial division, income inequality, and systemic failure.

While some of this content arises organically, intelligence experts warn that state-linked disinformation campaigns, particularly from adversarial nations like China, are fueling the flames. These efforts aren't necessarily about promoting Chinese ideology—they are about destabilizing trust in American institutions. Whether by amplifying social grievances or exposing exploitative practices by U.S. corporations, the goal is to divide Americans and erode faith in their own system.

For instance, viral posts have circulated showing American brand-name products being manufactured for mere cents in overseas factories—often without any context. These images, while partially factual, are sometimes distributed through accounts linked to foreign influence operations, with the intention of sowing distrust between consumers and corporations, or between laborers and leadership.

China’s Domestic Firewall: One-Way Visibility

While China allegedly pushes narratives into the U.S. through open platforms, it maintains a rigid firewall at home. Access to platforms like Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and major international news sites is strictly prohibited. Chinese citizens do not have the same window into global affairs that Americans do—especially regarding China’s foreign policy or the intensifying U.S.-China trade war.

This imbalance creates an information asymmetry: China can observe and influence U.S. public discourse, but the reverse is almost entirely blocked. Beijing maintains tight control over public sentiment and suppresses any content that could trigger unrest or contradict state narratives.

Tariffs and the Trade Battlefield: 2024–2025 Snapshot

The economic relationship between China and the U.S. remains tense. As of early 2025, tariffs enacted in the previous decade have not only persisted but, in some sectors, intensified. The U.S. currently maintains over $300 billion in tariffson Chinese goods, targeting everything from electronics to steel. In response, China has placed retaliatory tariffs on American agricultural and manufactured products.

Most recently, the U.S. has introduced new 104% tariffs on certain Chinese electric vehicles and tech components, citing unfair subsidies and intellectual property theft. The move is part of a broader initiative to onshore manufacturing and reduce U.S. dependence on Chinese supply chains—particularly in sensitive sectors like semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, and energy storage.

While U.S. policymakers across party lines support tough-on-China trade policy, business leaders warn of potential price increases and supply disruptions for American consumers.

The Dual Threat: Economic and Informational

What makes China’s strategy particularly effective is its dual-pronged approach. Economically, China remains deeply embedded in U.S. supply chains, making complete separation nearly impossible in the short term. Digitally, it capitalizes on America’s open information ecosystem to influence public opinion—often anonymously and with plausible deniability.

The U.S., by contrast, remains vulnerable not only to trade imbalances but also to internal division that can be subtly encouraged from abroad. By exploiting American openness—through free speech, uncensored media, and unregulated platforms—China and other foreign actors can seed content that undermines unity, encourages distrust, and erodes the legitimacy of leadership regardless of political party.

Conclusion

Whether one views the current trade tensions and online narratives as intentional psychological warfare or merely the consequence of a complex digital world, the patterns are hard to ignore. A strategic firewall in the East blocks information from getting in, while a wide-open system in the West allows external forces to shape the national conversation.

This asymmetry isn't about partisanship—it’s about sovereignty, resilience, and recognizing how 21st-century influence operations function. Navigating this challenge will require a united front, bipartisan awareness, and policies that protect both economic independence and information integrity in the years ahead.