China’s Application of Sun Tzu’s Theoretical Framework in its Pursuit of Hegemony over the South China Sea

 Major Kresna Hendra Wibawa / Flight 17 / MT-600 / 15 August 2023

One of Xi Jinping’s primary objectives is to position China as the preeminent global power, aiming to establish it as the most influential nation in the annals of human history.[1] Engaging with the major global powers, particularly the United States, is imperative to accomplish this objective. One of the measures the People’s Republic of China (PRC) used was exerting control over the South China Sea (SCS), an area encompassing territories of nations aligned with the United States; SCS also has strategic waterways with 5,3 trillion dollars in transactions annually.[2] The PRC effectively used a set of techniques derived from Sun Tzu’s renowned treatise “The Art of War” to establish and maintain supremacy in SCS while concurrently limiting the occurrence of direct confrontations by attacking the enemy’s strategy and disrupting alliances.

Sun Tzu initially emphasized the importance of attacking the enemy’s strategy.[3] China has employed a series of calculated actions that resonate with this theory in pursuing hegemony over this contested maritime region. China has been assertively pursuing its territorial claims and maritime interests in the area, including constructing and militarizing an artificial island.[4] They also demonstrate a solid adherence to the principles espoused by Sun Tzu, particularly the notion that the party that secures control over the battlefield at the earliest opportunity stands to go gain a tremendous advantage.[5] China effectively challenges existing regional dynamics and redirects the focus toward its strengthened presence. Establishing a military outpost not only extends China’s military reach but also serves as a strategic point to exert influence over surrounding waters, undermining the strategies of neighboring nations and altering the balance of power. China shifts the emphasis on regional players and forces them to respond by persistently expanding the bounds of its territorial claims, which impacts the region’s overall strategic calculations. By using this approach, the adversary’s ability to execute their plan is rendered incapacitated.

Furthermore, China recognizes the significance of alliances and partnerships with countries as integral components of the United States’ power within a particular geographical region.[6] Consequently, China perceives these nations as vulnerable targets through which it might diminish the United States’ influence by causing disruptions within the alliance, as stated by Sun Tzu’s, achieving victory in a competition may be accomplished by the strategic disruption of an opponent’s alliances rather than engaging in direct conflict.[7] China has employed various tactics and strategies to disrupt the coalition. In economics, it offered investment, trade, and economic incentives to foster financial dependencies that may dissuade from fully cooperating with the United States’ interests. On the other hand, China has engaged in diplomatic efforts to isolate or deter U.S. allies from cooperating too closely with American initiatives, including both public and behind-the-scenes pressure to discourage countries from participating in joint military exercises, intelligence sharing, or other cooperative effort with the U.S. in the SCS. However, destabilizing the U.S. alliance nations may help China reduce U.S. influence in the SCS and replace it with its might.

In conclusion, the meticulous execution of strategies inspired by Sun Tzu’s timeless principles has enabled the PRC to assert its dominance in the SCS while undermining the alliances and influence of the United States. Through its calculated actions, the PRC has effectively demonstrated the significance of attacking the enemy’s strategy, disrupting alliances, and manipulating economic and diplomatic channels. However, an opponent facing China should not focus too much on one possibility because it will be easily defeated or attacked by other causes beyond its line of sight.[8]

NOTES

I want to thank our Military Theory Instructor, Lieutenant Colonel Charles Napier, Major Romina Mirza, and all students of Flight 17 for their thoughtful comments and suggestions. All errors found therein are my own.

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[1]           Sullivan, Jake, and Hal Brands. "China Has Two Paths To Global Domination." Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Last modified May 22, 2020. https://carnegieendowment.org/2020/05/22/china-has-two-paths-to-global-domination-pub-81908.

[2]           "Preventing War in the South China Sea." Air University (AU). Accessed August 12, 2023. https://www.airuniversity.af.edu/JIPA/Display/Article/3111133/preventing-war-in-the-south-china-sea/.

[3]           Sun, Wu, and Samuel B. Griffith. The Art of War. Translated and with an Introduction by Samuel B. Griffith, Etc. Oxford University Press, 1963, 77.

[4]           Gupta, Sourabh, and Matt Geraci. "China’s Claims in the South China Sea." ArcGIS StoryMaps. Last modified January 14, 2022. https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/f41484de9d4144c59b22540cb94b150a.

[5]           Sun, Wu, and Samuel B. Griffith. The Art of War. Translated and with an Introduction by Samuel B. Griffith, Etc. Oxford University Press, 1963, 96.

[6]           "Reaffirming and Reimagining America’s Alliances." United States Department of State. Last modified March 24, 2021. https://www.state.gov/reaffirming-and-reimagining-americas-alliances/.

[7]           Sun, Wu, and Samuel B. Griffith. The Art of War. Translated and with an Introduction by Samuel B. Griffith, Etc. Oxford University Press, 1963, 78.

[8]           Kilcullen, David. The Dragons and the Snakes: How the Rest Learned to Fight the West. New York: Oxford University Press, 2020, 209.