Stealth War: How China Took Over While America's Elite Slept

Stealth War examines China's long-term strategy to surpass the United States as the world's dominant superpower. Brigadier General Robert Spalding draws on his experience as a senior defense official and diplomat to detail Beijing's comprehensive influence operations across multiple sectors. The book identifies specific tactics China uses to gain leverage over American institutions, from Wall Street and Silicon Valley to academia and local governments. Spalding presents evidence of strategic initiatives in technology transfer, economic policy, infrastructure development, and information warfare that have gone largely undetected by U.S. leaders. Through extensive research and first-hand accounts, Spalding traces the evolution of China's approach from the 1970s through present day. The narrative connects individual cases and events into a broader pattern of coordinated action aimed at undermining American power. At its core, this work raises fundamental questions about the vulnerability of open societies and the balance between economic engagement and national security. The analysis challenges conventional wisdom about U.S.-China relations and the assumptions that have guided American policy for decades.

Readers describe this as an eye-opening examination of China's economic and technological influence over the US. Many cite Spalding's military and diplomatic experience in China as lending credibility to his arguments. Liked: - Clear examples of China's economic warfare tactics - Detailed breakdown of specific industries and institutions affected - Solutions proposed in final chapters - First-hand accounts from author's time in China Disliked: - Some found the tone alarmist - Several readers wanted more detailed evidence for certain claims - A few noted redundant examples and repetitive writing - Some criticized the focus on blaming US leadership rather than offering more solutions Ratings: Amazon: 4.6/5 (1,200+ reviews) Goodreads: 4.1/5 (900+ ratings) Common reader comment: "Important message but could have been edited down." Multiple reviewers noted it pairs well with Peter Navarro's "Death by China" and Michael Pillsbury's "The Hundred-Year Marathon" for a complete picture of US-China relations.

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🔸 Author Robert Spalding served as Senior Director for Strategic Planning at the National Security Council and was previously a Brigadier General in the U.S. Air Force, where he spent extensive time in China. 🔸 The book reveals how China used American technology and intellectual property to build its 5G network infrastructure, which Spalding argues poses significant security risks to the United States. 🔸 Through detailed case studies, Spalding demonstrates how China has systematically infiltrated key American institutions - from universities to Wall Street - through initiatives like the "Thousand Talents Program." 🔸 The term "stealth war" was coined to describe China's non-military methods of gaining global influence, including economic warfare, information warfare, and diplomatic coercion. 🔸 Published in 2019, the book predicted many of China's current aggressive moves in technology and trade, including its push for global digital currency dominance and increased control over international shipping routes.