PLA Views of Information Warfare and Cyberwarfare

Information Dominance: PLA Views of Information Warfare and Cyberwarfare

Speaker: Cheng, D. (Heritage Foundation)

Date: September 2016

Dean Cheng is currently the Senior Research Fellow for Chinese Political and Military Affairs at the Heritage Foundation. He is fluent in Chinese, and uses Chinese language materials regularly in his work.

Prior to joining the Heritage Foundation, he was a senior analyst with the China Studies Division (previously, Project Asia) at CNA from 2001-2009. He specialized on Chinese military issues, with a focus on Chinese military doctrine and Chinese space capabilities.

Prior to joining CNA, he was a senior analyst with Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), and an analyst with the US Congress’ Office of Technology Assessment in the International Security and Space Division.

He has written a number of papers and book chapters examining various aspects of Chinese security affairs, including Chinese military doctrine, the military and technological implications of the Chinese space program, and Chinese concepts of “political warfare.” Recent publications include:

• “The PLA’s Wartime Structure,” in The PLA as Organization v. 2.0, ed. by Kevin Pollpeter and Kenneth Allen (Merrifield, VA: DGI, 2015). www.pla-org.com
• “Converting the Potential to the Actual: Chinese Mobilization Policies and Planning,” in The People’s Liberation Army and Contingency Planning in China, ed. by Andrew Scobell, Arthur S. Ding, Philip C. Saunders, and Scott W. Harold (Washington, DC: NDU Press, 2015).
• “Chinese Concepts of Space Security” in Springer Handbook of Space Security, ed. by K.U. Schrogl (NY: Springer Publishing, 2015).
• “Information Dominance: PLA Views of Information Warfare and Cyberwarfare,” in Chinese Cybersecurity and Cyberdefense, ed. by Daniel Ventre (Hoboken, NJ: Wiley Publishers, 2014).
• “Chinese Lessons from the Gulf Wars,” in Chinese Lessons from Other People’s Wars, ed. by Andrew Scobell, David Lai, and Roy Kamphausen (Carlisle, PA: Strategic Studies Institute, 2011).
• “Chinese Views on Deterrence,” Joint Force Quarterly (#60, 01/2011)

He has testified before Congress, and spoken at the National Space Symposium, the US National Defense University, the STRATCOM Deterrence Symposium, Harvard, and MIT. He has appeared frequently in print and broadcast media to discuss Chinese space and military activities. He is the author of the forthcoming Cyber Dragon: Inside China’s Information Warfare and Cyber Operations (Praeger Publishing).