Social media companies have shut down fake accounts for swarming critics of Chinese policy, and there have been several incidents where a Chinese nationals who have ingratiated themselves into influential relationships with universities, businesses, and political figures are exposed as agents of the Chinese government. I don’t think it’s unreasonable to think the ones who get caught are just the tip of the iceberg.
Covert measures like these dovetail with very loud and public efforts like ‘wolf warrior’ diplomacy and economic coercion of public figures/companies who go against the CCP line on Xianjiang, Tibet, lab leak origin of COVID, etc. The remake of Red Dawn a few years ago had to be expensively edited before the final cut was released to make North Korea the villain after Chinese threats and pressure on the studio.
That’s the stuff we know about. I have a strong suspicion that China has some kind of influence over TikTok and other channels, using them to nudge public opinion in directions that erode support for US foreign policy and exacerbate domestic political divisions. Russian efforts on this front are vastly overstated, but China has much more economic leverage and corresponding opportunities for mischief. I’d be surprised if they’re not taking advantage of them to a much greater extent than publicly acknowledged.
None of this makes China uniquely nefarious. God knows the CIA and State department have had a hand in every color revolution over the past decade. Just think it’s notable that we’re more explicitly pivoting from “China will liberalize if we open up to them” to “A new threat rises in the east”
Great piece. While the primary purpose is a recruitment video for the buyer persona you describe, the China angle is interesting too. The Chinese are conducting extensive espionage and influence operations against the US and allied countries, but explicit acknowledgement that it’s happening, and something is being done to counter it, has been rare and usually indirect.
Cold War II is starting in earnest, and I’m guessing the years ahead will see more propaganda that both puts the Chinese on notice, and gets the American public used to the idea of an openly adversarial China.
> Psychological Operations Group
Yo, friendos, check out these absolute pogchamps! They ain't cappin', fr!
sus
Cringe faggot zog commercial. They are not puppet masters, its much more disorganized than most would believe..
We’ll make diamonds from their ashes, take them into battle with us
Creepy Satan-worshiping puppet-masters make commercial to appeal to recruit non-puppet-masters. Surprised when recruiting still stinks.
Psyops may still be under the umbrella of special operations, so at least they'll have the pride of that if they sign up
Social media companies have shut down fake accounts for swarming critics of Chinese policy, and there have been several incidents where a Chinese nationals who have ingratiated themselves into influential relationships with universities, businesses, and political figures are exposed as agents of the Chinese government. I don’t think it’s unreasonable to think the ones who get caught are just the tip of the iceberg.
Covert measures like these dovetail with very loud and public efforts like ‘wolf warrior’ diplomacy and economic coercion of public figures/companies who go against the CCP line on Xianjiang, Tibet, lab leak origin of COVID, etc. The remake of Red Dawn a few years ago had to be expensively edited before the final cut was released to make North Korea the villain after Chinese threats and pressure on the studio.
That’s the stuff we know about. I have a strong suspicion that China has some kind of influence over TikTok and other channels, using them to nudge public opinion in directions that erode support for US foreign policy and exacerbate domestic political divisions. Russian efforts on this front are vastly overstated, but China has much more economic leverage and corresponding opportunities for mischief. I’d be surprised if they’re not taking advantage of them to a much greater extent than publicly acknowledged.
None of this makes China uniquely nefarious. God knows the CIA and State department have had a hand in every color revolution over the past decade. Just think it’s notable that we’re more explicitly pivoting from “China will liberalize if we open up to them” to “A new threat rises in the east”
Great piece. While the primary purpose is a recruitment video for the buyer persona you describe, the China angle is interesting too. The Chinese are conducting extensive espionage and influence operations against the US and allied countries, but explicit acknowledgement that it’s happening, and something is being done to counter it, has been rare and usually indirect.
Cold War II is starting in earnest, and I’m guessing the years ahead will see more propaganda that both puts the Chinese on notice, and gets the American public used to the idea of an openly adversarial China.