Global Courant
WASHINGTON – China is manipulating the global media through censorship, data collection and secret purchases of foreign news outlets, the United States said Thursday, warning that the trend could lead to a “sharp contraction” of global freedom of expression .
The US State Department said in a report that Beijing has spent billions of dollars annually on information manipulation efforts, including by acquiring stakes in foreign media through “public and non-public means,” sponsoring online influencers and distribution deals to secure that unlabeled Chinese governments promote. contents.
The Chinese embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
In July, Beijing responded to a NATO communiqué accusing it of coercive policies and spreading disinformation, saying the statement ignored basic facts, deliberately discredited China and distorted its policies.
The U.S. report comes amid controversy over China’s efforts in recent years to expand the global footprint of its government-controlled media, especially as geopolitical competition between Beijing and Washington has increased. Chinese leaders have tried to combat negative images of China that they say are being spread by the world media.
Citing public reports and “newly acquired government intelligence,” the State Department’s Global Engagement Center said Beijing had created its own information ecosystem by co-opting foreign political elites and journalists.
It had also invested in satellite networks and digital television services in developing regions that prioritize Chinese state-backed media content.
Chinese data collection abroad “has allowed Beijing to refine global censorship by targeting specific individuals and organizations,” the report said.
“If left unchecked, Beijing’s efforts could result in a sharp reduction in global freedom of expression,” the report said.
Despite unprecedented resources devoted to the campaign, Beijing has suffered “major setbacks” in attacking democratic countries due to backlash from local media and civil society, said the report, which was prepared under a congressional mandate to describe in detail the manipulation of state information. REUTERS
