Chinese Military Studying ‘Cognitive Attacks’ Against US Population

The CCP hopes to encourage ‘a psychological or cognitive decision to surrender,’ says Nathan Beauchamp-Mustafaga of RAND Corp.

Members of the People's Liberation Army are seated during the Opening Ceremony of the 20th National Congress of the CCP at The Great Hall of People on October 16, 2022 in Beijing, China. Chinese leader Xi Jinping is widely expected to secure a third term in power. Kevin Frayer/Getty Images

Researchers in China’s military are studying how to use influence operations to sow discord abroad and encourage a mentality of defeat in the United States, according to one expert.

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its military wing, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), are engaged in “cyber-enabled influence operations” against the United States and looking to further expand their capability for disruption, according to Nathan Beauchamp-Mustafaga, a policy researcher at the RAND Corporation.