A new essay series on War on the Rocks, produced with the Potomac Institute for Policy Studies, examines how the United States should integrate economic statecraft into national security strategy. The eighth installment rethinks corporate risk and alignment in an era where trade disruptions double as geopolitical weapons.
The analysis points to a 2010 incident where Chinese authorities halted rare earth mineral shipments to Japan after a trawler collision near the Senkaku Islands. That move, the authors argue, illustrates how supply chain dependencies can be weaponized, threatening both commercial stability and strategic autonomy.
The series calls for a recalibration of corporate risk management — urging firms to treat geopolitical exposure as a core strategic variable rather than a secondary compliance issue. It also explores how private sector alignment with U.S. defense and economic objectives can strengthen deterrence against coercive tactics.
Allied governments and rival states face pressure to adjust: NATO partners may need to harden critical supply chains, while Beijing's use of economic leverage tests the resilience of democratic economies. The essay underscores that corporate decisions on sourcing and investment now carry national security implications.
The article is part of a broader inquiry into how the U.S. can better organize economic tools for strategic competition. It does not provide new budget figures or specific policy proposals, instead framing the conceptual challenge of aligning business incentives with statecraft.