NucleCast welcomes, emerging scholar Alyssa Agard who talks about Chinese strategic thinking, system destruction warfare, and what these concepts mean for the future of deterrence and strategic stability. Drawing on Chinese military theory, the discussion explores how Beijing approaches conflict—not by matching capabilities symmetrically, but by targeting critical systems to destabilize adversaries from the outset.

Agard breaks down how the People’s Liberation Army integrates artificial intelligence, hypersonics, and other advanced technologies into its military strategy, and why these developments complicate traditional deterrence models. The conversation also examines the security dilemma created by rapid technological competition and whether China’s current military posture is as stable as it appears.

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