Chinese Influence Operations and a “Machiavellian Moment” in Sweden?
Are we witnessing a “Russification” of China’s influence operations? What are the causes and dynamics of this shift, and how effective is this new Chinese posture? How should Sweden and other countries respond?
In the new report “Chinese Influence Operations: A Machiavellian Moment”, Dr Paul Charon and Dr Jean-Baptiste Jeangène Vilmer give a detailed and global overview of China’s influence operations. They argue that events in Sweden constitute a typical case of the “Machiavellian Moment” by which China has started to believe that “it is safer to be feared than to be loved” as Machiavelli wrote in The Prince.
The Swedish National China Centre at the Swedish Institute of International Affairs (UI) hosted a digital launch of the English version of the report published by the Institute for Strategic Research (IRSEM) of the French Ministry for Armed Forces.
Speakers
Dr Paul Charon, Director for Intelligence, Strategic Foresight, and Hybrid Threats at the Institute for Strategic Research (IRSEM) of the French Ministry for Armed Forces.
Dr Jean-Baptiste Jeangène Vilmer, Director of IRSEM and nonresident Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council.
The webinar was moderated by Viking Bohman, analyst at the Swedish National China Centre.