In recent years, American national security agencies and commentators have begun using a new buzz term: narrative warfare. China is particularly adept at employing narrative warfare.
There is an old proverb that
says the truth is the best advertising, propoganda and public relations tool.
Fact-supported truth is a powerful narrative.
Unfortunately, the truth can be
hidden, ignored, obscured or -- in the 21st century -- inundated. Narrative
warfare embraces more than PR and propaganda campaigns. Narrative warfare
employs "weaponized narratives" spun from "highly selective truth,"
outright lies, false accusations, distorted and altered quotations,
emotional appeals, sensational outrage, fear mongering, blame-shifting,
intimidating threats, victim posturing, virtue signaling and fabricated
imagery.
Indeed, these disruptive and
often destructive techniques -- with the possible exception of fabricated
imagery -- have been in the human political and psychological warfare tool kit
since the human species arose.
However, modern mass media and
digital communications can quickly and pervasively spread the weaponized
narrative, often without challenge. Narrative warfare advocates argue that a
powerful psychological weapon is capable of many things, including influencing
national and international opinion.
Weaponized narratives
inevitably link dynamically to ongoing conflicts, including irregular or
unconventional warfare campaigns, conventional war fighting and diplomatic
operations.
The weaponized narrative
combination of speed and pervasiveness can create psychological vulnerabilities
in an adversary's population. In a long war or extended diplomatic
confrontation, fear and doubt seeded by an adversary's weaponized narratives
may erode its opponent's will to continue to the struggle.
Some analysts argue that
democracies are more vulnerable to weaponized narrative attacks than
authoritarian states that strictly control or deny freedom of speech and
freedom of the press.
Nations have always used
narratives to support their diplomatic operations. Not all
of them are "weaponized," but a powerful, moving story
gives a diplomatic initiative additional energy. Often these narratives
incorporate nation or ethnic historical and cultural themes. Since they support
a diplomatic initiative, they are always political.
In February, the
Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies published a
short paper entitled "Seven Chinas: A Policy Framework." The paper
briefly examined "seven identities" that the Chinese government uses
to "shape and justify policy."
Each identity is
a narrative.
China 1: Self-sufficient
civilization (We generate our own values)
China 2: Most humiliated nation
(Our senior civilization, conquered and despised)
China 3: Leader of the
developing world (Late developing China leads developing nations)
China 4: Champion of plurality
(We are ending Western/American hegemony)
China 5: Sovereign survivor (We
survived the collapse of Communism because we are unique)
China 6: Last man standing (The
West is declining while our wealth is increasing)
China 7: Herald of the high
frontier (China and shares the global trade and communications commons)
Narratives 2 and 3 aided
China's penetration of resource-rich sub-Saharan African
countries. Narrative 2 stirred leverageable sympathy; former colonies
shared China's humiliation at the hands of foreign powers.
Narratives 1 and 5 have
advanced domestic policies as well as foreign diplomatic initiatives. At one
time the Chinese empire was arguably self-sufficient in terms of natural and
human resources. Confucianism is a Chinese value system. The Chinese have
reason to be proud. Chinese organization -- a type of self-sufficiency --
helped the Peoples Republic avoid a Soviet Union-type collapse. Its survival,
however, required the adoption of a market economy with Western
characteristics.
Narratives 2, 4, 6 and 7,
however, have supported China's slow invasion and attempted annexation of the
South China Sea. Its actions are in clear violation of international law,
especially the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. However, China contends the
area was once sovereign Chinese territory; China lost it during an era of
weakness. Current rules are artifacts of Western hegemony which is now in decline
(Narratives 4 and 6). China, the rising Great Power, will protect global trade
routes.
In the South China Sea China's
narrative weapons have augmented its military and economic clout. It's proved
to be a powerful combination.