Beijing’s grey-zone tactics — ways and means to coerce a country short of the use of conventional force — are used to identify vulnerabilities and set favourable military conditions to its benefit should a conflict eventuate involving the United States, Australia and other allies and partners. [...] We have to think grey if we’re to effectively respond to grey in the ways that [are] suitable for us and appropriate for the nature of our democracy and values.” General Angus Campbell, Chief of the Defence Force 2 July 20201 Policy recommendations To counter China’s coercive statecraft, Australia should adopt an active military approach in the grey- zone focused on Southeast Asia and the Pacific. [...] The scale The preface offers a practical definition of grey- of Australia’s strategic challenge means that zone activity and key military-strategic terms, every agency and department has more to do and offers a baseline for understanding China’s than ever in the pursuit of the national interest. [...] Rather peace and war are vague.34 For the PLA, this than the defender of the nation, the People’s necessitates deeper military-civilian integration Liberation Army’s (PLA) is first the armed force and joint integrated attacks to widen the mili- and defender of the Chinese Communist Party. [...] In the longer run, such Grey-zone, coercion, and deterrence are esoteric evidence would enhance the accuracy of media concepts to most Australians, yet they are central reporting and quality of commentary, like proac- to the ‘active statecraft’ being advanced by the tive and savvy Philippine, Japanese, British and Albanese government.
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