By James Carafano ~
For quite some time, China has been trying to undercut the foundation of American global power. Unlike Moscow’s often coarse, brutish efforts, Beijing has been stealthier than an F-35, using public diplomacy initiatives to subtly buy its way into schools, civil society, and the private sector.
Now, however, the mask–and the gloves–are coming off.
In the last few days, the Chinese Communist Party has changed its propaganda tactics. Party officials, government representatives, and state media are now overtly attacking the U.S., spreading deliberate lies about the COVID-19 outbreak.
This dramatic shift leaves experts pondering: What’s up?
More specifically: Why are Chinese government officials now publicly denying that the coronavirus started in Hubei province and citing conspiracy websites that claim the U.S. is responsible for the virus?
Recently, Lin Songtian, the Chinese ambassador to South Africa made both those claims.
Lin is no loose cannon. He does, however, know Africa well. Apparently he has judged that Africa will be receptive to more aggressive propaganda efforts.
Lin’s conspiracy charge may well get traction in Africa, where there lingers a deep distrust of CIA activities from the Cold War. The old Soviet disinformation campaign claiming that the CIA created AIDS took root in the continent and remains to this day.
Moreover, the Chinese have been peppering Africa with anti-American messages for years now–all part of its aggressive program to penetrate and dominate the African media market.
But the new stridency of China’s anti-American propaganda is not limited to just Africa or just COVID-19. Recently, Chinese state media attacked the U.S. Millennium Challenge Cooperation investment in Sri Lanka, accusing America of using the development program as a “Trojan Horse” with a “hidden agenda.”
So what is up with Beijing?
The regime is reeling from a terrible string of failures and misjudgments. Developing nations are wising up to the “debt traps” set by China’s global Belt and Road initiative. Many countries–especially those in Asia–are outraged by China’s response to the protests in Hong Kong and its meddling in the Taiwan elections. Then came the coronavirus and Beijing’s abysmal response, which sparked a global pandemic.
To say that Beijing’s brand has been tarnished would grossly understate the case. So picking on the U.S. could be only a desperate attempt to divert attention away from its manifest failures.
More likely, though, it’s just of a matter of the COVID-19 charge being so preposterous as to draw our attention to the type of propaganda that’s been out there–but largely ignored by the U.S.–for quite some time.
China has been running a smear campaign to undermine U.S. influence in Africa and South Asia for years. Thanks to the World Wide Web, we are able to see more of it.
In addition, China has long relied on the president’s critics in the U.S. to pick up messaging critical of the White House and push it through the domestic anti-Trump megaphone.
For example, when U.S. officials started referring to COVID-19 as the “Wuhan Virus,” (a name earlier propagated by the media), the regime in Beijing objected that the term was somehow “racist.” Some on the American left–including members of the media who had used the term themselves–quickly picked up and repeated the accusation.
Finally, there is no question that China is responding to what is no longer a one-sided propaganda war. This administration has been anything but quiet in its criticism of Beijing. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, for example, has consistently called out “the Communist Chinese Party,” not “China,” as being the source of troubles from Beijing.
So far, the administration has kept its multipronged dealings with China on separate tracks. Thus, the U.S. tries to negotiate trade deals with Beijing even as it moves to counter China’s growing military power and the global war of words heats up. Maintaining that sense of balance and discipline in the competition is key to protecting U.S. interests and keeping the competition from spinning out of control.
The bottom line is, regardless of how the current outbreak of COVID-19 plays out, the great power competition between the U.S. and China will continue for some time.
The global pandemic triggered by Beijing’s inept response has produced one positive side effect, however. It has sharpened our recognition that China’s public diplomacy masks the malign anti-Americanism of an increasingly powerful competitor on the global stage.
Originally published in Fox News
James Jay Carafano, Ph.D. contributes posts at The Daily Signal. He is a leading expert in national security and foreign policy challenges, is The Heritage Foundation’s vice president for foreign and defense policy studies, E. W. Richardson fellow, and director of the Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis Institute for International Studies at The Heritage Foundation . http://www.heritage.org/
Read more informative articles at The Daily Signal http://dailysignal.com/
gds44
Tue 03/24/2020
Reblogged this on Gds44's Blog.
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Lawrence Morra
Mon 03/23/2020
Reblogged this on Zero Lift-Off and commented:
I truly hope any and all of my followers and anyone else that happens upon my Blog Page will see this article and pass it along to any and all of your friends and family; it’s truly an outstanding piece of honest journalism that we all need to pay attention to!
I truly hope many more good Americas that need to see the light and awaken to the camouflage and propaganda that’s been carried out to subdue us not help us will see behind the mask of these snakes!
The writing has been on the proverbial wall all along as to the Communist Chinese government’s ambitions and purposes. I believe that the fundamental fact that they are devoid of simple basic Christian principles proves that their hearts are ruled by only material forces and the lust for them which leads ultimately to a lust for more power and control. They are tragically flawed as human beings yet they rule one of the largest nations on the planet and have WMD which I still say the Wuhan Corona Virus was fall out from a research program that went awry. Some facts that point to this being an underlying reason for this pandemic outbreak are surfacing but I knew immediately by just a few of the things that were happening with regard to the false narrative and simple truth that there were victims in Wuhan as far back as November which wasn’t being reported to the media until it was time to use their propaganda to blame others outside of China namely the US their main adversary. The Wuhan Institute of Virology, Hubei was conducting research on biological weapons grade samples of COVID and actual alterations on the virus were conducted there at the institute, then certain scientists or officials start disappearing!
It’s hard to believe actually how in today’s day and age of readily accessible information at people’s finger tips they get sucked into believing what people like Sanders a Marxist at heart promotes as a good thing. History clearly shows us that Communism in any form is lethal to people’s rights, freedom and lives. Joseph Stalin along with Pol Pot prime examples of Marxist–Leninists, that slaughtered millions of their own respective peoples to gain complete control of the population and force their wills upon their nations under communism. Just because China has put on a good front all these years showing the world they appreciate Western Capitalism doesn’t mean they aren’t monsters with ulterior designs and only playing the game to get us all in a weakened position over time then break the back of our systems to conquer. They have us indebted to them to the nth degree and have bought out enough industries and properties here in the US along with having some prominent American politicians in their hip pockets; to proudly say America is practically in the bag! We are dealing with the sleeping dragon that will be extremely hungry and hostile when it wakes up one day wanting to up the ante! They are not our friends not by a long shot and the Party has no heart, they are ruthless, hard core totalitarian minded despots. Trump has been the spoiler in this God forsaken scenario and I believe it’s because God wanted it this way to give the good people of America a last ditch opportunity to wake up before they step off into the precipice and horror beyond imagination under evil tyrants! Please keep up the good fight and bringing us such high integrity, factual journalism my friend.
God bless you and yours!
Guys the problem is there should be big consequences for these types of hysteria generating behaviors and if caught doing it automatic prison sentences for decades they are causing unbelievable damage to economies and lives! Where the hell is culpability and JUSTICE in this equation? Just because the Chinese government is a sick evil minion of hell doesn’t mean journalists and other assorted enterprising barracudas should be freewheeling manufacturers of mayhem! Get the responsible agents of this havoc and lock these suckers up! In China that type of behavior gets a guy a bullet to the head! Get moving judicial system; where the hell are you!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Lawrence Morra
Mon 03/23/2020
Hi again Jim! I don’t reblog usually but this is so good an article I know it’s the right thing to do just getting a few more people to pass on the truth you presented here! Thanks again my man! God bless you and yours! I pray for people like you!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Lawrence Morra
Mon 03/23/2020
Absolutely agree with you Jim! Great article you have presented here and I truly hope many more good Americas that need to see the light and awaken to the camouflage and propaganda that’s been carried out to subdue us not help us will see behind the mask of these snakes!
The writing has been on the proverbial wall all along as to the Communist Chinese government’s ambitions and purposes. I believe that the fundamental fact that they are devoid of simple basic Christian principles proves that their hearts are ruled by only material forces and the lust for them which leads ultimately to a lust for more power and control. They are tragically flawed as human beings yet they rule one of the largest nations on the planet and have WMD which I still say the Wuhan Corona Virus was fall out from a research program that went awry. Some facts that point to this being an underlying reason for this pandemic outbreak are surfacing but I knew immediately by just a few of the things that were happening with regard to the false narrative and simple truth that there were victims in Wuhan as far back as November which wasn’t being reported to the media until it was time to use their propaganda to blame others outside of China namely the US their main adversary. The Wuhan Institute of Virology, Hubei was conducting research on biological weapons grade samples of COVID and actual alterations on the virus were conducted there at the institute, then certain scientists or officials start disappearing!
It’s hard to believe actually how in today’s day and age of readily accessible information at people’s finger tips they get sucked into believing what people like Sanders a Marxist at heart promotes as a good thing. History clearly shows us that Communism in any form is lethal to people’s rights, freedom and lives. Joseph Stalin along with Pol Pot prime examples of Marxist–Leninist’s, that slaughtered millions of their own respective peoples to gain complete control of the population and force their wills upon their nations under communism. Just because China has put on a good front all these years showing the world they appreciate Western Capitalism doesn’t mean they aren’t monsters with ulterior designs and only playing the game to get us all in a weakened position over time then break the back of our systems to conquer. They have us indebted to them to the nth degree and have bought out enough industries and properties here in the US along with having some prominent American politicians in their hip pockets; to proudly say America is practically in the bag! We are dealing with the sleeping dragon that will be extremely hungry and hostile when it wakes up one day wanting to up the ante! They are not our friends not by a long shot and the Party has no heart, they are ruthless, hard core totalitarian minded despots. Trump has been the spoiler in this God forsaken scenario and I believe it’s because God wanted it this way to give the good people of America a last ditch opportunity to wake up before they step off into the precipice and horror beyond imagination under evil tyrants! Please keep up the good fight and bringing us such high integrity, factual journalism my friend.
God bless you and yours!
LikeLiked by 2 people
nickreality65
Mon 03/23/2020
Latest WHO statistics, 2/23/20:
Italy, China, Spain, Iran and France have 60.3% of the CORVID-19 cases and 87.6% of the CORVID-19 deaths.
The US has 10.1% of the CORVID-19 cases and 3.1% of the CORVID-19 deaths (473).
The US is moving up in the number of cases because it does the most testing – DUH!
CORVID-19 is NOT a global issue.
Australia and NZ are freaking out, but Australia has 7 deaths and NZ zero. What’s the matter with these people?
Watch these data presentations for funny scales. With two different scales the US can be made to look just like Italy even though Italy has over ten times the deaths as the US.
Remember, there’s big money to be made, and careers and book deals and bylines in scaring people.
YTD shot in Chicago: 469.
Number of US gun violence deaths since 2003: 8,681.
It’s the novel hot lead flu.
A little perspective.
LikeLiked by 4 people
PA Pundits - International
Mon 03/23/2020
Hi Nick,
Good perspective .
It shows that the Marxists Media and their bosom buddies in the Marxist party (AKA democrats) are excellent at scaring people.
I say Fine them Heavily for every LIE they tell or write. This would also create a lot of jobs for people to monitor the FAKE News Media!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Lawrence Morra
Mon 03/23/2020
Guys the problem is there should be big “consequences” for these types of hysteria generating behaviors and if caught doing it, automatic prison sentences for decades, they are causing unbelievable damage to economies and lives! Where the hell is culpability and JUSTICE in this equation? Just because the Chinese government is a sick evil minion of hell doesn’t mean journalists and other assorted enterprising barracudas should be freewheeling manufacturers of mayhem! Get the responsible agents of this havoc and lock these suckers up! In China that type of behavior gets a guy a bullet to the head! Get moving judicial system; where the hell are you!
LikeLiked by 2 people
willingwheeling
Mon 03/23/2020
Reblogged this on Willing Wheeling.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Lawrence Morra
Mon 03/23/2020
I agree with all you’ve said and as I see it Communist China leadership are atheists with no real love of humanity or compassion but only interested in global domination and utter power! Evil as I see it is the main driving force behind these wicked minded communists and that is a huge problem going forward without any doubt! I just wrote a few blog articles expressing my view and think they could be something worth sharing here. Thank you!
LikeLiked by 2 people
PA Pundits - International
Mon 03/23/2020
Hi Lawrence,
Good comment!
The Chinese so-called Leadership is the only gods they allow.
People are just fodder in their quest for world domination.
Maybe we should arrange a playoff between China, Iran, North Korea and anyone else for world domination. The winner, or what’s left of them, would then face the Free World.
What do you think?
LikeLiked by 3 people