CIA made fake internet identities to propagate anti-China rumors: Report
What's the story
Two years into his presidency, Donald Trump authorized a covert operation by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
This was aimed at swaying public opinion in China against its government, three former US officials have told Reuters.
The clandestine campaign involved a small team of operatives who used fake internet identities to disseminate false narratives about Xi Jinping's government and leak disparaging intelligence to foreign media outlets.
Operation targets
China's global influence and domestic affairs
The CIA operatives targeted China's global expansion efforts, including trade deals, military pacts, and business partnerships with developing nations.
They spread allegations of corruption within the ruling Communist Party and criticized China's Belt and Road Initiative as wasteful.
Although the US officials didn't provide key details of the operations, the efforts were aimed at creating paranoia among Chinese leaders, forcing them to expend resources on internet security.
"We wanted them chasing ghosts," one of the three former officials stated.
Response
China responds to CIA influence operation allegations
China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded to the news of the CIA operation, accusing the US government of using "public opinion space and media platforms as weapons to spread false information and manipulate international public opinion."
The reporting sources stated that the covert campaign was a response to China's own aggressive efforts to increase its global influence.
Throughout his presidency, Trump advocated for a more robust response to China than predecessors. The operation signaled a return to Cold War-era tactics.
Insights
Operation's impact and potential risks
The impact of the covert operation remains unknown, and it is unclear whether President Joe Biden's administration has continued the program.
The operation carries significant risks of escalating tensions with China due to its economic power and ability to retaliate through trade.
Paul Heer, a former senior CIA analyst, warned that evidence of a CIA influence program could bolster China's accusations of Western subversion, potentially resonating in parts of the world already suspicious of Washington.
Facts
Trump is promising tougher stance on China
Trump, now a Republican frontrunner, indicated he would adopt an even tougher stance toward China if re-elected.
The 2019 authorization allowed CIA to act not only in China but also in countries worldwide where the US and China are vying for influence.
The operation targeted public opinion in Africa, Southeast Asia, and South Pacific.
"The feeling was China was coming at us with steel baseball bats and we were fighting back with wooden ones," said a former national security official.