Classic Form: Lure a thief into your house, then block all exits. Once they are trapped with no escape route, you can deal with them at your leisure. The principle is to completely cut off an enemy's retreat before moving in for the final capture.
Modern Version: Trap users, companies, or even entire nations inside closed technological ecosystems, supply chain dependencies, or proprietary standards. Once they are dependent and locked in, you can change the rules, extract value, and exert control.
AI-Powered Execution: An adversary offers an attractive, seemingly "open" technology platform or service. Once mass adoption is achieved, they use AI-driven dependency modeling to analyze user behavior and calculate the precise moment to "shut the door." The AI determines the tipping point at which the user base is sufficiently locked in, allowing the platform owner to enact new restrictive rules, revoke data portability, or implement control mechanisms with minimal user attrition. This is the core of China's Social Credit System and predictive policing, where an individual's "digital twin" is monitored, and if flagged as risky, their access to services is preemptively cut off, trapping them within a digital prison.
CCP Application: The CCP's digital ecosystem, centered on "super-apps" like WeChat, is a perfect example. Users are drawn in by its convenience for messaging, payments, and services. Over time, it becomes indispensable for daily life in China. The CCP then "shuts the door," using the platform to monitor all communications, censor dissent, and enforce the Social Credit System. Leaving the platform is not a viable option, as it means being cut off from society. Similarly, the CCP lures foreign companies into its market and supply chains, and once they are deeply invested, it can "shut the door" with arbitrary regulatory changes or by cutting off access to critical components, trapping them in a dependent relationship.
Collaborators: Tech startups and corporations that crave rapid growth and willingly integrate with the CCP's closed ecosystems, ignoring the long-term risks of entrapment. Politicians who embrace turnkey "smart city" solutions from Chinese firms, trading citizen freedom for the illusion of efficiency and control.
Counter: Build exit strategies into all technology adoption and partnership agreements. Mandate open standards and data portability to prevent vendor lock-in. Ban foreign adversarial control over digital choke points and critical infrastructure. The ultimate defense is to preserve the ability to walk away.