Information operations, a key component of China's contemporary way of war, encompasses all the uses of information and disinformation, by states or nonstate actors, as a tool of state power and includes military information support operations, cyberspace operations, electronic warfare, military deception, psychological operations, public affairs, and strategic communications. Historically, China has recognized the importance of information as a strategic tool and has a long-standing tradition of engaging in information warfare. Chinese military doctrine refers to information operations as "information warfare" or "information-psychological operations." The Chinese perspective emphasizes using information to shape public opinion, influence decision-making processes, and achieve specific political and military objectives.
Learning Objectives
Students learn: From the Chinese viewpoint, information operations encompass various activities, including propaganda, psychological warfare, disinformation campaigns, and cyber operations. They emphasize information to exploit societal vulnerabilities, manipulate narratives, and create confusion and distrust among target audiences. The objective is to achieve desired outcomes by controlling or influencing the information space domestically and internationally. The Chinese perspective emphasizes the importance of information dominance and the ability to shape narratives supporting political and military objectives. China views information dominance and narrative control as a vital tools in asymmetrical warfare, where non-military means, such as information and psychological operations, can be employed to achieve strategic goals. We cover several areas of Chinese cognitive warfare as students learn about their adversaries strategically, operationally, tactically, and technically.