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September 22, 2025: The Chinese government has instructed the People's Liberation Army (PLA) to develop a “force system” that can achieve strategic political aims “short of war.” In other words, be so strong and cunning that the PLA can convince an opponent to either comply or surrender to Beijing’s demands.
The PLA now uses the term “strategic weishe.” According to a recent Marine Corps University publication, the direction to achieve “strategic weishe” comes from guidance issued during the Chinese Communist Party’s 20th Party Congress (2022). Achieving strategic weishe entails fielding high-quality combat forces and linking (or integrating) all domains of warfare (for example, propaganda, media war linked to economic coercion, and, presumably, staging combat forces).
Weishe can be translated as “deterrence” or “coercion,” depending on context. A National Defense University publication states that the PLA Encyclopedia uses the term weishe zhanlue, which translates as “strategy of deterrence.” The PLA Encyclopedia also says this about weishe zhanlue: “the display of military power, or the threat of use of military power, in order to compel an opponent to submit.”
According to a U.S. study referenced by Marine Corps University, the goal of strategic weishe is to prevent an adversary from taking a certain action or set of actions (deterring an adversary from taking an action) with the goal of compelling compliance without going to war. Strategic weishe can be applied through a “spectrum” of intensity. The original study identifies “five main modern domains of weishe: nuclear, conventional, space, information, and people’s war.”
However, winning in those types and domains of warfare has been Beijing’s intent since the 1970s. Chinese anti-aircraft carrier ballistic missiles are already in the PLA’s arsenal. They exist to threaten U.S. aircraft carriers and keep the carrier battle groups in the Eastern Pacific while the PLA invades Taiwan… or Taiwan just capitulates?
It appears Communist China’s leaders mean something more than hybrid warfare and keeping U.S. carriers away from the Western Pacific.
Achieving strategic weishe will give Beijing the ability to deter, compel, and coerce in every dimension of conflict, including economic dominance.
But that isn’t a new idea. That’s the DIME concept of integrating the elements of power—diplomacy, intelligence-information, military, and economic power. Still, several U.S. analysts believe Chinese strategists mean something more than hybrid war and DIME-type coordination. China seeks a very high level of integration of all forms of power using advanced weaponry integrated with advanced communication, detailed and pervasive intelligence gathering, and other cyber technologies.
Why not include targeted assassination of key adversary leaders? The Israelis pulled that off against Hezbollah’s leadership with the Grim Beeper operation and its elimination of key Iranian military leaders at the beginning of the 12-Day War. Is Israel already employing strategic weishe?
New technology, new economic and social conditions. Yet there is something classically Chinese about strategic weishe. The goal is to create a very “Sun Tzu situation” where—paraphrasing General Sun—the general does not resort to war but achieves his objectives by demonstrating will and capability. Thorough preparation for combat avoids combat because the opponent knows he will be crushed.
Here is one translation of the quote: “The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.” In other words, General Sun argues for victorious preparation.
It appears the 20th Party Congress wants the PLA to do just that in the 21st century. (AB)