" the strongest US capabilities are clustered in the center of the spectrum, from economic through military, space, and cyber capability. Thus, any Chinese attempt to escalate in this part of the spectrum would involve symmetrical confrontation and possible conflict. Outside that zone of confrontation, in the categories of social, legal, and infrastructure activity, China would be better placed to compete, given weaker American capabilities and the fact that US leaders might not consider these part of the conflict spectrum, "

― David Kilcullen , The Dragons and the Snakes: How the Rest Learned to Fight the West