By Khedroob Thondup

The rise of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) under the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has forced the world to confront a paradox: a nation that has achieved extraordinary economic success while simultaneously tightening autocratic control and projecting coercive power abroad. To meet this challenge, democracies must adopt a holistic framework that does more than react piecemeal. The “Contaformation” strategy offers such a framework, built on three hierarchical goals: Contain and Weaken, Deter War, and Positive-Sum Transformation.

Contain and Weaken. The first imperative is to prevent the PRC autocracy from becoming the leader of the international community. This does not mean isolating the Chinese people, but rather curbing the CCP’s ability to dominate global institutions and norms. Economic diversification: Democracies must reduce dependence on Chinese supply chains, particularly in critical ...