China's intelligence advantage isn't necessarily better technique, but its ability to deploy vast numbers of personnel globally. While the US has retrenched from regions like Africa, China can "throw more people" at problems, enabling a wider physical presence and more in-person engagement.

Unlike the US, China expands its influence by offering to build highways, airports, and electrical grids for other nations. This 'soft power' approach, funded by a large trade surplus, has allowed it to gain significant control in regions like Africa without military intervention.

A coming battle will focus on 'malinformation'—facts that are true but inconvenient to established power structures. Expect coordinated international efforts to pressure social media platforms into censoring this content at key chokepoints.

The perception that the US Navy is unwilling to risk its high-value assets, like aircraft carriers, in contested littorals feeds directly into rival propaganda. This reluctance, even if militarily prudent, validates adversaries' belief that America lacks the tolerance for initial casualties and will back down in a crisis, potentially increasing the risk of miscalculation.

During military operations, all sides release conflicting stories. The official government version, the enemy's counter-narrative, and online conspiracies are all weapons in an information war, requiring extreme skepticism to discern any semblance of truth.

The decision to cut funding for programs like PEPFAR, which combats HIV in Africa, is strategically shortsighted. Beyond the devastating human cost, it dismantles decades of accumulated "soft power" and goodwill. This positive global brand perception is a significant, yet often overlooked, American asset that is now being squandered.

China actively tries to shape global media narratives to counter U.S. policy. For example, it seeds stories in the Western press about its tech breakthroughs to suggest U.S. semiconductor export controls are failing, even while its diplomats privately demand the controls be lifted—a sign they are working.

Russia's imprecise and often brutal counter-terrorism methods in Africa cause significant civilian casualties. Violent extremist organizations (VEOs) exploit this heavy-handedness in their propaganda to recruit new members and stir local grievances, directly undermining regional stability.

The US-Iran situation highlights that modern conflict involves a constant battle to control perception. Both sides use social media to push conflicting details and frames, making it difficult for the public to ascertain objective truth as any viewpoint can be reinforced online.