Former President Donald Trump authorized a covert CIA operation against China during his time in office. Set into motion in 2019, the CIA operatives were tasked with disseminating negative narratives about the Chinese government on social media platforms to sway Chinese public opinion against the regime. The campaign primarily focused on corruption within the ruling Communist Party and criticisms of China’s Belt and Road Initiative.
After officials substantiated the veracity of the narratives used in the campaign, they were secretly released to the Chinese public using pseudonymous internet identities to stir suspicion among Chinese leadership and divert valuable resources to counter the cyber propaganda.
China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the operation, stating it represented the U.S.’s propensity to leverage media platforms and public opinion as tools for disseminating false information. The strategically planned operation by the CIA was a counter to China’s covert operations aimed at enhancing its global influence.
The impact of the covert campaign remains unknown. It is also unclear whether President Joe Biden has continued the program.
The news of the CIA’s covert program comes on the heels of the adoption of legislation in the House of Representatives that could force the sale of or ban the Chinese-controlled social media app TikTok. TikTok and its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, have been accused of collecting data on Americans on behalf of the Chinese state.