Overview
Christian Curriden is a defense analyst at the RAND Corporation. His work at RAND has mostly focused on Chinese and Korean issues, especially PLA research and development, as well as artificial intelligence applications in the PLA. His research has also touched on proxy wars, the Chinese science and technology environment, and Chinese military interventions abroad. Outside of RAND, Christian has conducted research and published or presented papers on Chinese space capabilities and Chinese soft power in Hollywood.
Before joining RAND, he completed his MA at the University of Chicago, where his thesis used deterrence theory and trade data to explore the reasons China could not coerce North Korea. Curriden's extensive experience working and studying in China has included the completion of the State Department Critical Language Scholarship, conducting research on Chinese public opinion of North Korea at Nanjing University, and writing market reports for Fortune 500 companies at North Head, a consulting firm in Beijing. He has also conducted both primary and secondary source research in Korean on Northeast Asian diplomacy and lived in South Korea for two years as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
Research Focus
Recent Projects
- Military Applications of Artificial Intelligence
Selected Publications
"Military Artificial Intelligence in China," in Forrest E. Morgan, Benjamin Boudreaux, Andrew J. Lohn, Mark Ashby, Christian Curriden, Kelly Klima, Derek Grossman, Military Applications of Artificial Intelligence, The RAND Corporation (RR-RR-3139-1-AF)
Languages
Chinese; Korean
Publications
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Report
Disrupting the Chinese Military in Competition and Low-Intensity Conflict: An Analysis of People's Liberation Army Missions, Tasks, and Potential Vulnerabilities
The authors (1) identify tasks that the Chinese military would likely be assigned in peacetime competition with the United States and in a hypothetical low-intensity conflict and (2) analyze potential vulnerabilities in execution of those tasks.
Dec 5, 2023
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Report
Strategic Disruption by Special Operations Forces: A Concept for Proactive Campaigning Short of Traditional War
RAND researchers develop a new concept for strategic disruption by special operations forces, exploring how disruptive campaigns can frustrate an adversary’s preferred strategy and enable friendly gains across multiple instruments of national power.
Dec 5, 2023
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Report
Great-Power Competition and Conflict in Africa
This report explores the potential for competition and conflict among the United States, China, and Russia in Africa; where and why competition might turn into conflict; what form that conflict might take; and the implications for the United States.
Jul 13, 2023
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Report
Simulating Chinese Gray Zone Coercion of Taiwan: Identifying Redlines and Escalation Pathways
This paper shares the results of an exercise hosted by the RAND Corporation to explore the risk of escalation from Chinese activities in the gray zone to conventional war. The results showed an overall low risk of Taiwanese escalation.
Jun 22, 2023
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Report
Great-Power Competition and Conflict in Latin America
This report explores the potential for competition and conflict among the United States, China, and Russia in Latin America; where competition might turn into conflict; what form that conflict might take; and the implications for the United States.
Jun 20, 2023
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Report
Great-Power Competition and Conflict in the Middle East
This report explores the potential for competition among the United States, China, and Russia in the Middle East; where and why competition might turn into conflict; what form that conflict might take; and the implications for the United States.
Jun 1, 2023
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Report
Great-Power Competition and Conflict in the 21st Century Outside the Indo-Pacific and Europe
This report explores where the United States, China, and Russia may be competing for influence in secondary theaters; where and why competition might turn to conflict; what form that conflict might take; and implications for the United States.
Apr 25, 2023
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Testimony
The Chinese Acquisition Process
Testimony presented before the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission on April 13, 2023.
Apr 13, 2023
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Report
Proxy Warfare in Strategic Competition: Overarching Findings and Recommendations
This report synthesizes the findings and recommendations from two companion reports on intrastate proxy wars: civil wars in which at least one local warring party receives material support from an external state.
Mar 9, 2023
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Report
Proxy Warfare in Strategic Competition: State Motivations and Future Trends
The authors used quantitative analysis and case studies of China, Iran, and Russia to examine the causes and likely future trends in proxy wars: civil wars in which at least one local warring party receives material support from an external state.
Mar 9, 2023
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Report
Proxy Warfare in Strategic Competition: Military Implications
The authors examine the military implications of intrastate proxy wars (civil wars in which at least one local warring party receives material support from an external state) via a literature review and four case studies.
Mar 9, 2023
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Report
The U.S. Air Force Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Values on Social Media: A Proof-of-Concept Examination of How Air Force–Affiliated Accounts Represent the Service Online
This report presents a proof-of-concept to assess the online behavior of U.S. Air Force (USAF)-affiliated users over social media, specifically in regard to USAF diversity, equity, and inclusion policies.
Feb 22, 2023
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Report
How Can the Mobility Air Forces Better Support Adaptive Basing? Appendixes A–C, Supporting Analyses of Adaptive Basing, Soft Power, and Historical Case Studies
The U.S. Air Force is exploring adaptive basing to reduce vulnerability and preserve critical combat capabilities in highly contested environments. These appendixes present supporting analyses, including political challenges and case studies.
Jan 24, 2023
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Report
How Can the Mobility Air Forces Better Support Adaptive Basing? Summary Analysis, Findings, and Recommendations
The U.S. Air Force is exploring adaptive basing concepts to reduce the vulnerability of U.S. forces and to preserve critical combat capabilities in highly contested environments. This report assesses the impact on the Mobility Air Forces.
Jan 24, 2023
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Research Brief
Managing the Escalation Risks of U.S. Military Activities in the Indo-Pacific
This brief describes how the United States can select and shape its military activities in the Indo-Pacific region to deter Chinese aggression against U.S. allies and partners while also limiting the risks of escalatory Chinese reactions.
Jan 12, 2023
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Report
New Directions for Projecting Land Power in the Indo-Pacific: Contexts, Constraints, and Concepts
This report seeks to address how the U.S. Army can most effectively project and employ land power in the Indo-Pacific, during competition and conflict, with a focus on scenarios involving China.
Dec 20, 2022
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Report
The People's Liberation Army's Search for Overseas Basing and Access: A Framework to Assess Potential Host Nations
Using a framework of 17 indicators, the authors assess and rank potential host nations for Chinese overseas basing and access. They recommend steps to better understand China's overseas plans and to prioritize risks to U.S. forces.
Dec 8, 2022
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Report
Managing Escalation While Competing Effectively in the Indo-Pacific
This report assesses how China may react to U.S. military activities in the Indo-Pacific. It provides a framework of factors likely to determine Chinese responses and advises how the characteristics of activities may affect the risk of escalation.
Nov 30, 2022
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Report
Anticipating Chinese Reactions to U.S. Posture Enhancements
This report provides a framework of key factors to aid U.S. policymakers in assessing how China may react to shifting U.S. posture in the Indo-Pacific. The authors apply the framework to hypothetical posture enhancements to offer insights.
Oct 25, 2022
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Research Brief
Assessing Systemic Strengths and Vulnerabilities of China's Defense Industrial Base
This brief presents an assessment of the strengths and vulnerabilities of China's defense industrial base (DIB), using a methodology that could be applied to assess any country's DIB.
Feb 11, 2022
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Report
Assessing Systemic Strengths and Vulnerabilities of China's Defense Industrial Base: With a Repeatable Methodology for Other Countries
The authors assess the strengths and vulnerabilities of China's defense industrial base (DIB) by designing and applying a comparative analytic structure that could be used to assess any country's DIB.
Feb 11, 2022
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Report
Implementing China's Grand Strategy in Asia Through Institutions: An Exploratory Analysis
In this report, the authors review the literature on China's grand strategy and discuss China's use of institutions in implementing its grand strategy toward Asian nations of interest to China, including the countries of the Korean Peninsula.
Nov 29, 2021
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Report
Stabilizing Great-Power Rivalries
Leveraging theory and historical cases, the authors identify the factors that keep great-power rivalries stable and those that lead to conflictual outcomes and use that framework to assess the current U.S.-Russia and U.S.-China competitions.
Nov 29, 2021
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Report
Anticipating Adversary Military Interventions
The authors explore where, how, and how often U.S. adversaries (specifically, Russia, China, and Iran) have intervened militarily since 1946 and identify why these adversaries initiated military interventions and why they might do so in the future.
Sep 27, 2021
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Report
China's Military Interventions: Patterns, Drivers, and Signposts
China has undertaken two broad types of military interventions in its post-1949 history. The authors assess which one of two patterns is likely to predominate in China's future and on what factors the answer to this question is likely to depend.
Sep 27, 2021
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Report
Defense Acquisition in Russia and China
This report discusses recent research into the research, development, and acquisition processes of Russia and China—both doctrinally and in practice—and identifies areas in which each country excels and where each country has challenges.
Jul 14, 2021
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Report
Influencing Adversary States: Quelling Perfect Storms
RAND researchers describe an experimental "thinking-Red" approach to analysis, wargaming, and other exercises to help inform strategies to avoid aggression or escalation in a crisis. It features alternative models of the adversary.
Feb 16, 2021
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Report
Chinese Views of Big Data Analytics
The authors of this report use Chinese primary-source materials to provide a preliminary analysis of China's expectations for the use of big data analytics and the country's plans and strategies for development of big data analytic capabilities.
Sep 1, 2020
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Report
Maintaining the Competitive Advantage in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
If its current artificial intelligence plan is successful, China will achieve an advantage over the United States and its allies. That has significant strategic implications that the United States must address.
Jul 8, 2020
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Report
Military Applications of Artificial Intelligence: Ethical Concerns in an Uncertain World
The authors of this report examine military applications of artificial intelligence (AI); compare development efforts in the United States, China, and Russia; and consider the ethical implications of employing military AI in war and peace.
Apr 28, 2020