How China Is Using Predatory Economics And Supply Chains To Increase Its Influence: Army Chief General Manoj Pande Explains

General Manoj Pande, Chief of Army Staff, has accused China of using predatory economics and weaponisation of supply chains to increase its influence, reported The Indian Express.

The Army Chief was delivering a keynote speech at a strategic dialogue conference in Pune, on the subject of “Rise of China and Its Implications for the World”.

The two-day conference was, jointly organised by the Centre for China Analysis and Strategy and the Department of Defence and Strategic Studies (DDSS) of Savitribai Phule Pune University.

General Pande said, “China’s rise as a political, technological, and military power has accorded it a new hierarchical position in the world order, which it intends to lead.

“Today China stands as the largest economy in purchasing power parity terms. On one hand, it is building an international network of coercion through predatory economics, while on the other it claims to pull more than 100 million of its own people out of poverty.

“Its pursuit to expand the sphere of influence through economic manoeuvring, weaponisation of resource supply chains, financing large infrastructure projects with scant regard for environmental and safety standards and straddling recipient countries with unsustainable debt, are there for the world to see.”

Speaking about China’s giant strides in artificial intelligence and its cyber warfare capabilities General Pande said, “It is also prudent to recognise China’s grey zone actions which involve kinetic and non-kinetic forms of assertiveness and coercion, aimed at achieving strategic goals without provoking a conflict.”

“Selective historical referencing, intelligent obfuscation of reality using a legal framework, and exploiting technological prowess in cyber and information operations are some of the common tools in the Chinese playbook,” the Army chief added.

About the situation in Ladakh General Pande said, “Indian Army’s strategic orientation and long-term capability development have been in focus on the northern borders. We have adequate reserves and are prepared to deal with any contingency.”