How the US Can Counter the CCP’s Covert and Unrestricted Warfare
Udumbara
If the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) were to prepare for war in the Taiwan Strait, it might adopt a multipronged strategy aimed at undermining the United States’ ability to respond swiftly and effectively.
This could include simultaneous strikes on U.S. military bases and satellites to disrupt communications and operational coordination, alongside cyberattacks and biological warfare. In addition, the CCP might orchestrate sabotage and other destabilizing activities within the U.S. homeland.
Such actions would form part of a broader campaign of unrestricted warfare—a mix of covert and unconventional tactics designed to create chaos and erode the United States’ abilities to intervene in the conflict.
The Urgency of Developing the ‘Golden Dome’
President Donald Trump on May 20 announced plans to build an “Iron Dome” missile defense system—later rebranded as “Golden Dome”—to shield the nation from long-range and hypersonic missile threats.With an estimated cost of $175 billion and an initial investment of at least $25 billion, the system is slated to reach preliminary operational readiness by the end of 2026. The urgency of this timeline strongly suggests that it is being driven by concerns over a potential CCP invasion of Taiwan as early as 2027.
After the Soviet Union collapsed, the CCP moved swiftly to recruit former Soviet aerospace scientists, determined to continue the space race and close the gap with the United States.
China’s entire space program—from space stations to lunar and Mars probes—is fully controlled by the military. Beneath the veneer of scientific advancement lies a strategic objective: to deploy space-based weapons that can disable U.S. satellites or launch direct attacks on U.S. territory from orbit.
In 2015, the CCP established the Strategic Support Force, declaring space to be the new “commanding height” of modern warfare.
In December 2019, Trump established the U.S. Space Force during his first term to strengthen America’s ability to counter the CCP’s growing space threats.
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In April 2024, the CCP disbanded its Strategic Support Force but simultaneously created three new entities: the Military Aerospace Force, the Cyberspace Force, and the Information Support Force. China’s primary space centers, research institutes, satellite tracking facilities, and astronaut training academies are now integrated within the military aerospace unit, highlighting the military focus of China’s entire space research and development program.
Upon returning to the White House, Trump proposed the Golden Dome concept as an urgent response to the growing threat of China’s space warfare capabilities, not merely as a futuristic vision.
The system is designed to intercept intercontinental ballistic missiles and hypersonic missiles, as well as counter sabotage operations in space. It is also designed to reinforce U.S. dominance in orbit, ensure constant surveillance of Chinese military movements, maintain the integrity of American command and communication systems, and enable precise strikes on Chinese military targets when necessary.
The United States already operates a range of space-based systems, including missile early warning systems, satellite surveillance, and numerous military satellites for communications and weather monitoring. Its GPS network also includes a military-grade component accessible only to U.S. forces.
These critical assets could become prime targets for Chinese sabotage. To maintain strategic advantage, the U.S. military must develop more advanced and resilient systems capable of detecting and countering potential threats from the CCP before they materialize.
Following the United States and Russia, China has developed the capability to target and destroy satellites with missiles, intended to blind U.S. forces by disrupting space-based surveillance and weapon guidance systems. To counter this threat, a robust Golden Dome system must prioritize front-end defense, focusing on intercepting missiles during their boost phase. Achieving this will require the deployment of interceptors in space.
Cyberwarfare
In 2024, China reorganized its former Strategic Support Force into three units, one of which is a Cyberspace Force. The CCP’s cyberattacks have a broad reach, targeting not only military, government, and research institutions but also civilian infrastructure.If a war breaks out, the CCP would likely initiate cyberattacks as a first strike, aiming to paralyze U.S. military and government networks. This would disrupt decision-making processes and hinder deployment efforts.
Each branch of the U.S. military has its own Cyber Command responsible for keeping defense and government systems operational. However, civilian infrastructure, such as nuclear power plants, power grids, and airports, may be vulnerable. These are likely targets for covert attacks by the CCP designed to cause domestic chaos and overwhelm U.S. crisis response capabilities early in a military conflict.
The CCP could simultaneously launch cyberattacks on the United States, Japan, Taiwan, and the Philippines. The United States must be able to respond quickly and decisively.
Before the outbreak of the Russia–Ukraine war, Russia launched cyberattacks against Ukraine. However, U.S. companies had preemptively deployed cybersecurity measures, helping Ukraine withstand the digital assault. Starlink systems were also rapidly deployed, playing a critical role in maintaining Ukraine’s communications throughout the conflict.
Most of the world’s major cybersecurity companies are based in the United States. This gives the nation the capability to detect and defend against cyberattacks from the CCP, as well as the ability to launch countermeasures if necessary. The key question is whether the U.S. government has an effective and rapid emergency response mechanism in place to coordinate the required talent and resources in a timely manner.
In today’s digital age, nearly every sector depends on stable and secure networks. If parts of the United States were suddenly cut off from the internet or electricity, critical infrastructure, including airports and major transportation routes, could be paralyzed. This could lead to accidents, disruptions, and widespread panic.
Such chaos could distract the government and significantly weaken its ability to respond effectively to a full-scale war initiated by the CCP.
In the event of a conflict, the United States might be able to temporarily disrupt internet access in mainland China, which could halt many of the CCP’s cyber operations immediately. However, Beijing employs foreign hackers and may have already deployed cyber operatives within the United States. This would present a significant challenge for American counterintelligence, testing the United States’ ability to swiftly and effectively respond to such threats.
