The relationship between western countries and China is ambivalent. Only as a cheap production location and increasingly also as a basis for sales and development has the People’s Republic enjoyed great popularity as an economic partner for many years, even though civil liberties are not guaranteed there and the country is not only a competitor but also an opponent politically. The second aspect is often forgotten – systematic Chinese propaganda in both classic and digital media is now a very clear reminder.
The Chinese Communist Party prioritized long disinformation to strengthen its domestic monopoly on power, its claim to global leadership, and its irredentist ambitions, according to the Cyber Policy Center, which will use a well developed infrastructure to manipulate information and disseminate preferred narratives. New technologies will increase China’s long established cyber propaganda capabilities.
Has Created A Parallel Information Environment
The primary goal of the Chinese government is to give the world a confident and inspiring picture of the country and its President. The messages required for this would be conveyed via state controlled media, but also through direct contacts and networks. In addition, China has created an unprecedented parallel information environment on the internet, which addresses international audiences via popular global platforms such as Twitter and YouTube.
Twitter Responded By Blocking Fake Users
The state media along with their online presence, portrayed the demonstrators as rioters and misrepresented information. Thousands of new Twitter users suddenly appeared and expressed themselves in the Chinese government’s favor. When these tactics were recognized, Twitter and YouTube responded by blocking fake users. Twitter said they were used to target unrest in Hong Kong. This was the first time that a hidden social media propaganda campaign was publicly attributed to China. However, as further action in relation to Hong Kong and then the corona pandemic has shown, the country’s media was not impressed by it in the long term.
