China’s cyber strategy turns digital chokepoints into strategic weapons against the United States

China’s cyber campaigns have moved beyond espionage, embedding backdoors in U.S. communications, power grids and transportation systems to set the stage for future sabotage, similar to Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. The United States’ critical infrastructure is largely owned by a multitude of private firms, each with varying security postures, which contrasts with China’s state-controlled, centrally defended networks.

Rapid progress in artificial intelligence is tipping the balance toward attackers, yet the same AI capabilities can generate detailed digital twins of utilities, enabling continuous stress-testing of vulnerabilities. To capitalize on this, the federal government should partner with AI labs and utility operators to create a secure, air-gapped enclave for ongoing simulations, while offering legal protections and financial assistance for fixing discovered flaws. Such a coordinated approach could transform one outlet defensive lag into a proactive cyber-resilience strategy before a hostile exploit triggers widespread outages or other crises.