Chinese information warfare strategists often describe the United Front Work Department (UFWD) as a “magic weapon” for advancing national objectives without direct coercion. In 2015, Xi Jinping described UFWD as an “important instrument” for achieving the “great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.”
On the morning of December 16, 2014, six heavily armed militants scaled the walls of the Army Public School in Peshawar, Pakistan and entered a place that should have been immune from war. By the time Pakistani security forces ended the siege, 149 people had been killed, including 132 children.
China is engaging in tactics just short of war, unconstrained by any formal declaration of hostilities as it seeks weaknesses to exploit in the United States Farm Surveillance Program and Homeland Defense initiatives. The U.S. agricultural supply chain is under attack from global competitors seeking to degrade America’s ability to feed its populace and export products.
One of the most persistent security threats the United States (U.S.) faces today is a range of hostile activities short of open armed conflict. These activities occur in what is often called the “grey zone,” which blurs the distinction between traditional war and peace and includes actions such as manipulating information, deploying hostile cyber activities, and working through proxy forces to achieve various effects.
China is engaging in tactics just short of war, unconstrained by any formal declaration of hostilities as it seeks weaknesses to exploit in the United States Farm Surveillance Program and Homeland Defense initiatives. The U.S. agricultural supply chain is under attack from global competitors seeking to degrade America’s ability to feed its populace and export products.
Aug 19, 2026 10:00 AM EST
Join IWC researchers Dr. Alicia Ellis and Sarah Shoer for a virtual lecture on their new article, "Agriculture as a Domain of Hybrid Warfare," now published in the current issue of PRISM.
The authors will discuss how agriculture has become a critical front in modern strategic competition, exploring the vulnerabilities in the U.S. food supply chain from cyber threats, economic coercion, and intellectual property theft. Learn about their proposed "Agriculture Security" (AgSec) framework designed to protect this vital national resource.
