OPEN ECHOES Episode #17

An interview with Dr. Alessandro Arduino

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Dr. Alessandro Arduino, an affiliate lecturer at the Lau China Institute, King’s College London, a visiting professor at the Geneva Graduate Institute, and a member of the International Code of Conduct Association (ICoCA) advisory group, is a renowned expert on China’s Belt & Road Initiative security and Private Military Companies. His latest book, Money for Mayhem (Rowman & Littlefield) explores the role of mercenaries and private military companies in shaping the future of warfare. His book China’s Private Army: Protecting the New Silk Road (Palgrave) is an essential resource for those seeking to understand China’s security landscape.

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This OPEN Echoes interview explores:

- The Evolution of Chinese Private Military Security Companies examining their development and the crucial role they play in safeguarding the Belt and Road Initiative.

- Challenges in data collection on China's private military and security companies have increased due to stricter regulations and reduced transparency, especially following the enactment of new Chinese security laws

- The role of Chinese private military security companies in multi-domain operations.

- Three potential future scenarios outlined by the author for the next 10 years regarding Chinese private security services.

- Misconceptions about Chinese private security arise from the western tendency to oversimplify these firms, often labeling them as private military or mercenary groups.

- The author’s approach to how his article will contribute to a broader conversation on this issue, including its impact on NATO and the global audience.

Dr. Arduino’s article, “China and the Evolution of Private Military Security Companies in Multi-Domain Operations" is available on the OPEN Publications website here.