Technology-enabled influence operations, including disinformation, will likely figure prominently in adversary efforts to impede U.S. crisis response and alliance management in high-risk, high-impact scenarios under a nuclear shadow. Both Russia and China recognize their conventional military disadvantage vis-à-vis conflict with the United States. As a result, both nations use sub-conventional tactics and operations to support their preferred strategies for achieving favorable outcomes while attempting to limit escalation risks. Such strategies include an array of activities loosely identified as influence operations, focused on using and manipulating information in covert, deniable, or obscure ways to shape the strategic environment. This report presents eight scenarios—four focused on Russia and four focused on China—that invite potential escalation risks and demonstrate how the tools and tactics of influence operations could be employed to challenge detection, response, and crisis management. It explores a range of potential escalatory pathways and destabilizing consequences if adversary influence operations engage strategic interests and targets in high-risk scenarios and identifies key takeaways and recommendations for policymakers to better identify and defend against adversary influence operations.

A major analysis of how China is attempting to become a media and information superpower around the world, seeking to shape the politics, local media, and information environments of both East Asia and the World. Since China's ascendancy toward major-power status began in the 1990s, many observers have focused on its economic growth and expanding military. China's ability was limited in projecting power over information and media and the infrastructure through which information flows. That has begun to change. Beijing's state-backed media, which once seemed incapable having a significant effect globally, has been overhauled and expanded. At a time when many democracies' media outlets are consolidating due to financial pressures, China's biggest state media outlets, like the newswire Xinhua, are modernizing, professionalizing, and expanding in attempt to reach an international audience. Overseas, Beijing also attempts to impact local media, civil society, and politics by having Chinese firms or individuals with close links buy up local media outlets, by signing content-sharing deals with local media, by expanding China's social media giants, and by controlling the wireless and wired technology through which information now flows, among other efforts. In Beijing's Global Media Offensive - a major analysis of how China is attempting to build a media and information superpower around the world, and how this media power integrates with other forms of Chinese influence - Joshua Kurlantzick focuses on how all of this is playing out in both China's immediate neighborhood - Southeast Asia, Taiwan, Australia, and New Zealand - and also in the United States and many other parts of the world. He traces the ways in which China is trying to build an information and influence superpower, but also critically examines the new conventional wisdom that Beijing has enjoyed great success with these efforts. While China has worked hard to build a global media and information superpower, it often has failed to reap gains from its efforts, and has undermined itself with overly assertive, alienating diplomacy. Still, Kurlantzick contends, China's media, information and political influence campaigns will continue to expand and adapt, helping Beijing exports its political model and protect the ruling Party, and potentially damaging press freedoms, human rights, and democracy abroad. An authoritative account of how this sophisticated and multi-pronged campaign is unfolding, Beijing's Global Media Offensive provides a new window into China's attempts to make itself an information superpower.

From culture shock to cone-shell poison, what better way to experience the highs and lows of global ocean travel than through the words of the captain's mate, mother of two teenaged boys. Lona Gray chronicled every aspect of their sailing adventure from how to find and prepare meals, how to repair engines, how to avoid monsoons, how to educate teenagers, and how to stay sane living in small quarters far from all the comforts of stateside living. Through Lona's words, we see and feel Captain Bobby's frustrations and triumphs, we meet their new friends, and we experience the rush of unexpected weather. "Caught by the Lure of the Sea is a compelling and realistic account for anyone considering taking the leap of faith to follow a romantic dream." -Cathie Katz, author of Sierra Club's Nature a Day at a Time: An Uncommon Look At Common Wildlife. "If you've ever dreamt of sailing around the world, family in tow, this is the vicarious trip of a lifetime." -Carole Kotkin, co-author MMMMiami-Tempting Tropical Tastes for Home Cooks Everywhere; food editor Travellady.com and free-lance travel writer. " you should read the adventures of Bobbie and Lona Gray aboard the sailing vessel Immanuel they met priests and pirates and braved stormy seas to bring you a story you'll not forget." -John A. Brennan, former Commodore of the Coconut Grove Sailing Club