Countering Chinese Communist Party Influence Around the World

The Vandenberg Coalition
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  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY
Countering Chinese Communist Party Influence Around the World

Despite the fact that a majority of Americans view China as the United States’ greatest strategic adversary, what to do about the rise of the Chinese Communist Party’s influence across the globe remains a point of significant debate. This Vandenberg Coalition series dives into this question with leading experts in eight different regions, ranging from outer space and the economy to Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, Europe, the Indo-Pacific, and South Asia. In each installment, we cover China’s growing influence in the region, how it measures against American influence, how to define our relationship with the region in light of competing priorities, and what America can and should be doing to better protect and advance our national interests. For more information, visit our website: www.vandenbergcoalition.org.

Episodes

  1. APR 4

    Red Shadows: Unveiling China's Coercive Campaign for Influence in the United States

    Thank you to our friends at the Heritage Foundation for co-hosting this live conversation on the CCP's growing influence operations inside the United States! Guests: Bryan Burack | The Heritage Foundation Brian Cavanaugh | American Global Strategies Jacqueline Deal | Long Term Strategy Group Michele Exner | Parents Defending Education Host: Carrie Filipetti | The Vandenberg Coalition The rise of China isn’t just a foreign concern. Over the last few years, there have been multiple incidents of Chinese attacks against our homeland, from the 2023 spy balloon, to inciting the fentanyl crisis, to influencing our students and children in schools and online. What are the CCP’s political, economic, and diplomatic aims against the United States? How does Chinese soft power influence American culture, education, and media? How is U.S. national security compromised by China’s influence operations on America's homeland? Addressing these questions requires a multidisciplinary approach, involving experts from various domains in the complex U.S.-Chinese relationship. Amid a period of heightened U.S.-Chinese relations, speakers will dissect the litany of China’s influence operations in the United States and the importance of defending American national security at a time of China’s malign campaign for global dominance. In this series, the Vandenberg Coalition shifts the focus beyond the Indo-Pacific and into various regions around the world where the Chinese Communist Party continues to threaten American interests. Each episode in the series discusses China’s growing influence in a given region, how it measures against American influence, how to define our relationship with the region in light of competing priorities, and what America can and should be doing to better protect and advance our national interests.

    1 hr

  2. JAN 16

    Beyond the Great Wall: China's Ambitions in the Multilateral System

    In this installment of “Countering Chinese Communist Party Influence Around the World,” leading experts discuss China’s growing influence in multilateral organizations. Executive Director of The Vandenberg Coalition Carrie Filipetti speaks with former U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues and the U.S. Representative at the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women  Kelley Currie and former Chief of Staff to U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations Nikki R. Haley Morgan Viña, who outline ways for the United States to effectively counter the CCP while strengthening our leadership role on the global stage.   In this series, the Vandenberg Coalition shifts the focus beyond the Indo-Pacific and into various regions around the world where the Chinese Communist Party continues to threaten American interests. Each episode in the series discusses China’s growing influence in a given region, how it measures against American influence, how to define our relationship with the region in light of competing priorities, and what America can and should be doing to better protect and advance our national interests.   00:00:00 Opening by TVC Executive Director Carrie Filipetti  00:01:31 Mechanisms for China’s engagement at the United Nations  00:03:33 CCP’s objectives in the international system   00:09:37 China on the offense: successes at the United Nations  00:18:10 Discrepancy in UN funding contributions between the U.S. and China   00:20:23 China’s takeover of the World Health Organization  00:26:18 Need for strategic reform of the American role in the United Nations  00:34:37 Criticism of the UN’s inherent value in promoting American interests  00:39:44 U.S.-China competition in the UN Human Rights Council  00:49:28 China’s alliance-building efforts to supplant U.S.-led multilateral organizations  00:51:54 Biden’s inability to leverage American power in international institutions   00:56:29 Closing by TVC Executive Director Carrie Filipetti

    57 min

  3. 12/20/2023

    The Far East Meets the Middle: Examining China’s Growing Influence in the Middle East

    In this installment of “Countering Chinese Communist Party Influence Around the World,” leading experts discuss China’s growing influence in the Middle East. Vandenberg Coalition Executive Director Carrie Filipetti speaks with Associate Professor of National Security Strategy at the National War College Dr. Dawn Murphy, Managing Director and Lane-Swig Senior Fellow at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy Michael Singh, and Craig Singleton, Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies to discuss China’s growing influence in the Middle East. In this series, the Vandenberg Coalition shifts the focus beyond the Indo-Pacific and into various regions around the world where the Chinese Communist Party continues to threaten American interests. Each episode in the series discusses China’s growing influence in a given region, how it measures against American influence, how to define our relationship with the region in light of competing priorities, and what America can and should be doing to better protect and advance our national interests. 00:00:00 Opening by TVC Executive Director Carrie Filipetti 00:01:36 China’s response to Hamas’ attacks & the ensuing war in Gaza 00:05:59 China’s strategic loss of Israel after October 7th 00:08:17 CCP objectives for regional influence & supplanting U.S. role in the Middle East 00:15:20 Future of the Israeli-China relationship 00:20:18 Discrepancy between internal & external CCP statements 00:23:55 America’s evolving strategic role in the Middle East 00:28:20 China’s perspective on the Abraham Accords & eroding leverage over Iran 00:36:24 Tripartite dynamic between Russia, China, & Iran 00:45:10 CCP amplification of antisemitism via TikTok 00:50:15 False binary between the United States & China 00:55:54 U.S. Chinese competition in the Middle East 01:00:55 Closing by TVC Executive Director Carrie Filipetti

    1h 1m

  4. 12/13/2023

    Reaching for the Stars: China's Advancement in the Space Race

    Over the last few years, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has increased its investment in outer space, a domain historically dominated by the United States. China’s space research and exploration ambitions threaten to undermine American interests in orbit and pose national security concerns for the United States on the ground. The Vandenberg Coalition welcomes Dean Cheng, Senior Advisor to the China Program at the United States Institute of Peace and Kari Bingen, former U.S. Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence, to examine this threat and discuss ways for the United States to effectively counter the CCP in outer space.  00:00:00 Opening by TVC Executive Director Carrie Filipetti  00:01:15 Impact of space on American life   00:07:16 China’s mechanisms to supplant U.S. dominance in space   00:11:02 Implications of China’s development of counter-space capabilities   00:14:35 Artificial intelligence & communications in space   00:18:22 Civil-military fusion in China vs. the U.S. government’s commercial reliance   00:25:15 Spectrum of American space defense capabilities   00:27:09 Pathways for space classification, control, & cooperation    00:30:50 Areas of American dominance & underdeveloped technologies in space   00:38:46 Coordination between space companies, the U.S. government, & allied nations  00:43:32 Policymakers’ complex protective mechanisms over private companies   00:51:00  Biden’s 2024 space budget request increase  00:52:58 Consequences of the limited legal architecture governing space   00:57:01 Space as a strategic dimension of U.S.-Chinese competition   01:00:35 Closing by TVC Executive Director Carrie Filipetti

    1h 1m

  5. 11/29/2023

    The New Scramble for Africa: A Competition for Influence and Race for Resources

    In this installment of “Countering Chinese Communist Party Influence Around the World,” leading experts discuss China’s growing influence in Africa. Vandenberg Coalition Executive Director Carrie Filipetti speaks with Vandenberg Coalition Advisory Board Members Amb. J. Peter Pham, former U.S. Special Envoy for the Sahel Region and for the Great Lakes Region of Africa, and Aleksandra Gadzala Tirziu, a non-resident Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council.  In this series, the Vandenberg Coalition shifts the focus beyond the Indo-Pacific and into various regions around the world where the Chinese Communist Party continues to threaten American interests. Each episode in the series discusses China’s growing influence in a given region, how it measures against American influence, how to define our relationship with the region in light of competing priorities, and what America can and should be doing to better protect and advance our national interests.   00:00:01 Opening by TVC Executive Director Carrie Filipetti  00:02:09 Geopolitical implications of Africa’s economic, political, & population growth   00:04:45 Beijing’s strategic aims in Africa  00:10:37 Absence of comprehensive U.S. strategy towards Africa  00:12:07 Africa’s evolving view of China  00:17:30 Examples of African nations leveraging in negotiations with China   00:22:30 African youth favorability towards the United States  00:31:00 American diplomatic failings in engagement with Africa   00:37:07 Prevalence of BRI in Africa & potential for American “strategic corridors”   00:42:58 CCP “Debt-trap diplomacy” & avenues for U.S. alternatives to Chinese financing  00:48:44 China’s strategic weaponization of Africa’s critical minerals  00:53:58  Opportunities for U.S. engagement in African mining industries   00:58:16 Steps for U.S. engagement in Africa  01:01:37 Closing by TVC Executive Director Carrie Filipetti

    1h 2m

  6. 11/08/2023

    The Road Ahead: China's Growing Footprint in South Asia

    In this installment of “Countering Chinese Communist Party Influence Around the World,” leading experts cover China’s expanding role in India, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. Vandenberg Coalition Executive Director Carrie Filipetti speaks with Lisa Curtis, Senior Fellow and Director of the Indo-Pacific Security Program at Center for a New American Security and Nargis Nehan, who formerly served as Afghanistan’s Acting Minister of Mines and Petroleum.   In this series, the Vandenberg Coalition shifts the focus beyond the Indo-Pacific and into various regions around the world where the Chinese Communist Party continues to threaten American interests. Each episode in the series discusses China’s growing influence in a given region, how it measures against American influence, how to define our relationship with the region in light of competing priorities, and what America can and should be doing to better protect and advance our national interests.  00:00:00 Opening by TVC Executive Director Carrie Filipetti 00:01:26 Development of China’s recent interest in South Asia 00:04:19 China’s efforts to counter India 00:07:49 China’s engagement in Afghanistan since the U.S. withdrawal 00:13:14 Options for U.S. deterrence of China in Afghanistan 00:19:20 Implications of cultural differences between China & the Taliban 00:23:01 Biden Administration’s romanticization of U.S.-Taliban cooperation 00:28:57 Congressional response to the U.S.’s withdrawal from Afghanistan 00:32:31 China-Pakistan economic corridor 00:35:37 Beijing’s debt-trap diplomacy 00:40:39 U.S. policy options in South Asia 00:50:55 Likelihood of a U.S.-China proxy conflict in South Asia 01:02:50 Implications of CCP influence displacing U.S. values 01:07:17 Closing by TVC Executive Director Carrie Filipetti

    1h 8m

  7. 10/25/2023

    It Takes Two to Tango: China’s Growing Influence in Latin America and the Caribbean

    In this installment of “Countering Chinese Communist Party Influence Around the World,” leading experts provide insights and analysis into China’s malign influence in our hemisphere or neighborhood: Latin America. Vandenberg Coalition Executive Director Carrie Filipetti speaks with Director of the Americas Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) Dr. Ryan Berg and Dr. R. Evan Ellis, professor of Latin American studies at the U.S. Army War College’s Strategic Studies Institute.  In this series, the Vandenberg Coalition shifts the focus beyond the Indo-Pacific and into various regions around the world where the Chinese Communist Party continues to threaten American interests. Each episode in the series discusses China’s growing influence in a given region, how it measures against American influence, how to define our relationship with the region in light of competing priorities, and what America can and should be doing to better protect and advance our national interests. 00:00:01 Opening by TVC Executive Director Carrie Filipetti  00:01:23 U.S.-Latin American security & defense cooperation and foreign direct investment (FDI)  00:04:46 China’s global export of political ideology  00:06:51 Implications of China’s control over critical minerals for the United States   00:10:28 Weaknesses of Latin American regulatory architecture     00:13:22 China’s geopolitical and economic advantages over the West in Latin America   00:19:07  Three historical phases of China’s strategic engagement in Latin America  00:23:37 Risks of China’s involvement in Latin America’s defense sector   00:30:19 Threat of Chinese interoperability in Latin America  00:40:56 China’s role in Latin American democratic backsliding  00:45:24 Nexxus between China and U.S. fentanyl epidemic  00:51:34  Mexico’s role in the global fentanyl trade & American border policy   00:56:18 U.S. grand strategy of Chinese deterrence  in Latin America  01:00:06 Balance of U.S. strategic interests and values   01:05:19: Closing by TVC Executive Director Carrie Filipetti

    1h 6m

  8. 10/04/2023

    A Bad Romance: China's Relationship with Europe

    In this installment of “Countering Chinese Communist Party Influence Around the World,” leading experts discuss the CCP’s growing influence in Europe. Vandenberg Coalition Executive Director Carrie Filipetti speaks with Hudson Institute Senior Fellow and Director of the Center on Europe and Eurasia Peter Rough and former Deputy Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Europe and Russia Affairs Ryan Tully.    In this series, the Vandenberg Coalition shifts the focus beyond the Indo-Pacific and into various regions around the world where the Chinese Communist Party continues to threaten American interests. Each episode in the series discusses China’s growing influence in a given region, how it measures against American influence, how to define our relationship with the region in light of competing priorities, and what America can and should be doing to better protect and advance our national interests.  00:00:01 Opening by TVC Executive Director Carrie Filipetti  00:01:00 History of relations between Europe & China  00:04:49 Europe’s joint confrontation of Russia & China   00:07:45 China’s strategy for influence in Europe  00:08:17 Italy & England’s disengagement & France’s appeasement of China  00:12:12 From Trump to Biden: U.S. diplomatic alternatives for Europe  00:20:15 U.S. & European alignment in approach to China  00:25:10 War in Ukraine’s exposure of the U.S.-European industrial shortcomings  00:29:10 Impact of Trump’s withdrawal from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty  00:32:32 Europe’s hypothetical military & economic response to China’s invasion of Taiwan  00:33:57 NATO’s revival as security guarantor of Europe  00:41:02 European instances of successful ‘de-risking’  00:51:52 Primary U.S. priorities for engagement with Europe & deterrence of China   00:54:32 Closing by TVC Executive Director Carrie Filipetti

    55 min

  9. 09/20/2023

    Rising to the Challenge: Addressing China's Economic Threats to the United States

    In this installment of “Countering Chinese Communist Party Influence Around the World,” leading experts cover one of the most critical and contentious aspects of U.S. China competition: economic policy. Vandenberg Coalition Executive Director Carrie Filipetti speaks with former Chief of Staff for the U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Clete Willems, former Deputy Director of the National Economic Council, on rising to the challenge: addressing China’s economic threats to the United States.  In this series, the Vandenberg Coalition shifts the focus beyond the Indo-Pacific and into various regions around the world where the Chinese Communist Party continues to threaten American interests. Each episode in the eight-part series discusses China’s growing influence in a given region, how it measures against American influence, how to define our relationship with the region in light of competing priorities, and what America can and should be doing to better protect and advance our national interests.  Timestamps: 00:00:02 Opening by TVC Executive Director Carrie Filipetti  00:00:58 Goals of U.S. economic policy towards China  00:02:07 Impact of China’s economic rise on global political and military systems  00:02:56 Historical impact of America’s failed assessment of China’s economic policy  00:05:27 Recent news coverage of China’s economic stagnation  00:07:04 Impact of China’s crackdown on the private sector and U.S. businesses  00:09:05 China’s unreliable disclosure of economic data   00:09:33 CCP’s framework for China’s global economic dominance   00:12:37 U.S. policy response to economic interdependence with China   00:15:48 Risks of U.S. business in China and need for targeted export controls and tariffs  00:17:46 Political discussion around China’s threat to U.S. domestic economy   00:19:40 ‘De-risking’ vs. ‘Decoupling’  00:21:22 Biden Administration’s outbound investment controls   00:23:55 Inadequate enforcement of U.S.’s outbound investment controls   00:25:08 Measures to reduce reliance on China’s supply chain control  00:27:38 ‘Friend shoring’: U.S. need for targeted sectoral trade agreements  00:29:19 Rationale for the four-year review of trade tariffs   00:30:24 Efficacy of targeted tariffs on China  00:34:37 Biden’s backtrack on the Phase One deal   00:37:51 U.S. business and economic alternatives to China  00:38:46 Reconsidering permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) with China  00:43:48 U.S. alignment with allies on economic controls   00:46:06 Developing a harder line with European allies   00:47:37 Role of bilateral free trade agreements   00:49:08 Diversifying supply chain away from China   00:53:54 IPEF Supply Chain Agreement as an alternative to FTA  00:58:35 Development of a complementary defensive and offensive U.S. trade strategy  01:01:52 Closing by TVC Executive Director Carrie Filipetti

    1h 3m

  10. 09/18/2023

    Navigating China's Backyard: A Closer Look at China in the Indo-Pacific Region

    For the kickoff of “Countering Chinese Communist Party Influence Around the World,” leading experts cover China’s own backyard—the Indo-Pacific—to lay the groundwork for their strategic interests and activity around the world. Vandenberg Coalition Executive Director Carrie Filipetti speaks with former Deputy National Security Advisor Matt Pottinger, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs David Feith, and Richard Fontaine, CEO of the Center for a New American Security, for a closer look at China in the Indo-Pacific region.    In this series, the Vandenberg Coalition shifts the focus beyond the Indo-Pacific and into various regions around the world where the Chinese Communist Party continues to threaten American interests. Each episode in the eight-part series discusses China’s growing influence in a given region, how it measures against American influence, how to define our relationship with the region in light of competing priorities, and what America can and should be doing to better protect and advance our national interests.  Timestamps: 00:00:03 Opening by TVC Executive Director Carrie Filipetti  00:01:03 China’s true aims in Xi’s own words  00:02:23 Xi Jinping’s Leninist ideology  00:05:00 Xi’s attack on the premise of sovereign nation-states  00:06:20 Implications of a future world order with Beijing as central authority   00:08:39 Increasing totalitarian nature of the CCP’s international statecraft  00:11:57 U.S. presidential candidates’ campaign focus on China  00:14:41 Candidates united on identifying the China challenge but differ in policy response  00:16:17 Relation between U.S. semiconductor policy and defense of Taiwan  00:16:53 Taiwan as prerequisite to dominance in the Indo-Pacific  00:18:07 Impact of potential Chinese subjugation or invasion of Taiwan  00:20:03 Potential invasion of Taiwan and the disruption to U.S. economy   00:22:29 Debate on Taiwan in U.S. presidential campaigns  00:26:01 Biden Administration’s recognition of the China problem and its implications  00:26:59 Rhetoric in presidential campaigns around increased defense spending  00:28:34 U.S. leadership of regional military coalitions in countering China  00:31:24 Absence of Western economic coalitions in China strategy  00:32:34 Comparison of U.S. and Chinese military spending and preparedness  00:37:32 International implications of a ‘peaked’ China  00:42:28 Americans’ historical tendency to underestimate adversaries  00:45:49 China’s control of semiconductors and implications for U.S. supply chains  00:46:38 Costs of ‘de-risking’ and impacts on U.S. national security   00:48:46 China’s weaponization of critical mineral supplies  00:52:49 China’s economic and security coercion  00:53:34 The Biden Administration’s diplomatic approach in the Indo-Pacific and the Middle East  00:55:29 Need for a more active U.S. diplomatic approach in offering an alternative to China  00:56:48 Credibility of U.S. commitment to allies  00:59:32 Need for U.S. bilateral trade and investment...

    1h 11m
  • 10 Episodes

Ratings & Reviews

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out of 5
7 Ratings

About

Despite the fact that a majority of Americans view China as the United States’ greatest strategic adversary, what to do about the rise of the Chinese Communist Party’s influence across the globe remains a point of significant debate. This Vandenberg Coalition series dives into this question with leading experts in eight different regions, ranging from outer space and the economy to Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, Europe, the Indo-Pacific, and South Asia. In each installment, we cover China’s growing influence in the region, how it measures against American influence, how to define our relationship with the region in light of competing priorities, and what America can and should be doing to better protect and advance our national interests. For more information, visit our website: www.vandenbergcoalition.org.

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