Is China Indirectly Enabling America’s Adversaries?

Chinese technology and commercial ties are helping the Houthis and Russia challenge U.S. interests, raising questions about Beijing’s strategic intentions.

A. Jathindra | October 30, 2026

The debate over U.S.-China competition is often framed in terms of trade, technology, military modernization, and espionage. In short, it encompasses virtually every instrument of national power. Yet an equally important question receives far less attention: is Beijing indirectly empowering non-state actors and proxy forces that undermine American interests abroad? Evidence suggests that it is.

For years, Washington has accused China of conducting a vast campaign of economic espionage against the United States. According to the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), 224 documented incidents of Chinese-linked espionage targeting the United States occurred between 2000 and 2023, with more than half directed at commercial technologies. Such activities reflect a broader strategy in which Beijing seeks to expand its influence while weakening strategic competitors. However, concerns about China’s behavior increasingly extend beyond technology theft and economic competition.

Recent developments in the Middle East have raised questions about whether Chinese commercial and technological networks are indirectly facilitating the activities of groups hostile to the United States and its regional partners. Last year, Washington accused Chinese satellite company Chang Guang Satellite Technology Co. of providing support that helped Iran-backed Houthi forces target U.S. vessels in the Red Sea. While Beijing has rejected such allegations, the episode has intensified scrutiny of China’s growing connections to actors operating at the center of regional conflicts.

The significance of these concerns extends far beyond Yemen. They point to a broader pattern visible across several theatres of geopolitical competition. From the Middle East to Eastern Europe, critics argue that Beijing increasingly benefits from instability that distracts American power, weakens U.S. alliances, and imposes costs on Washington, all........

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