A US State Department report that accuses the Chinese government of expanding disinformation efforts is “in itself disinformation,” Beijing’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs claimed Saturday.

The ministry shot back after the State Department issued a striking report this week in which it accused the Chinese government of expanding efforts to control information and to disseminate propaganda and disinformation that promotes “digital authoritarianism” in China and around the world.

The US report, issued by the Global Engagement Center on Thursday, alleged that China spends billions of dollars a year on foreign information manipulation and warned that Chinese leader Xi Jinping had “significantly expanded” efforts to “shape the global information environment.”

It also underlined US concerns about China as a main military competitor and key rival in the battle over ideas and global disinformation.

    • Steeve@lemmy.ca
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      1 year ago

      Gettin real sick of the forum sliding into “but America bad too” every time there’s a post about China doing shady shit on here.

      EDIT: Two days after making this comment I’m still getting replies from Chinese propaganda trolls lol. Making it easy to add to my block list I guess.

      • clanginator@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        I mean, it’s relevant to the article. It’s not “but America” when “US” is the beginning of the headline… ?? 🤨

        I’m not saying that the US State Dept report is false, but it also absolutely would not be the first time the state department has put out a false report. And they intentionally release reports - true or false - in a concerted effort to shape information and public opinion.

        America absolutely spends countless taxpayer dollars on propaganda, and CNN, which is part of a multi-billion-dollar corporation that serves the interests of shareholders, advertisers, and lawmakers is absolutely part of that propaganda machine.

        Again, not saying China is the good guy or that we should take their word here. But the US also isn’t the good guy, and I think we should take State Dept. press releases with a grain of salt.

        The comment you replied to was perfectly relevant and accurate, and was just someone making a quip about US propaganda efforts.

        But apparently a Canadian knows better, so keep telling us about how US propaganda isn’t relevant in world politics, thanks.

      • bobman@unilem.org
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        1 year ago

        Cool.

        I’m getting sick of idiots chastising China for what the US does.

        Guess we both have to deal with it, huh?

      • hark@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        But you don’t get sick of the endless “China bad” articles, huh?

        • Steeve@lemmy.ca
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          1 year ago

          Lol endless? I maybe see a few posts a week about China while the majority of my feed is American politics and American tech ragebait articles. And I never see people like you on those posts saying “wEll wHaT aBoUt ChInA!!1!”.

          • hark@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            Probably because the American political articles are highly specific about American issues (e.g. abortion, debt ceiling, guns, etc). Meanwhile articles like these are all about bashing China for doing what the US does even harder.

        • Nobsi@feddit.de
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          1 year ago

          No, china is endlessly bad. If you think otherwise youre dumb and should just move to a tofudreg highrise in china.

            • Nobsi@feddit.de
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              1 year ago

              It happened once somewhere else, so it’s not a problem that its a real problem in china - you

              • bobman@unilem.org
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                1 year ago

                I never said it wasn’t a problem in China.

                It’s a problem anywhere it happens, that’s where you and I diverge.

                Hence my original point of: “It’s only bad when China does it” -you

                • Nobsi@feddit.de
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                  1 year ago

                  No, it’s bad and a Chinathing because in China it is common enough to have it’s own neologism.
                  It is common. It is widespread. It is being censored by the CCP.

                  The US doesnt ban articles talking about highrises collapsing because of corruption.

                  • bobman@unilem.org
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                    1 year ago

                    The US doesnt ban articles talking about highrises collapsing because of corruption.

                    Does China ban articles about highrises collapsing?

                    Can you provide any source for this?

                    I was referring to the highrises collapsing at all. As in, their maintenance was allowed to slack off to the point the building collapsed… while people were in it.

      • goldenlocks@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        Hilarious. I joined lemmy because of the thousands of anti China posts all over reddit. So obviously state department influenced.

        • Steeve@lemmy.ca
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          1 year ago

          And I’m guessing you joined lemmy.world because hexbear kept getting defederated? Go back there

          • clanginator@lemmy.world
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            This person has a different perspective on world politics and propaganda efforts by the US, therefore they are a tankie.

            This is the kind of one-sided, idiotic comment that leads to stifling of actual discussion of geopolitical issues like this, where different perspectives are much needed in this hyper-radicalized landscape.

            You are directly contributing to the kind of radicalism that you so despise, because you react to a comment based on emotion and pre-judgement, rather than actually thinking critically about what is being said and responding with helpful criticism or perspective. Fucking hypocrite, shame on you.

          • goldenlocks@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            What is hexbear? I’ve seen it mentioned but nice try assuming about me. You made an ass out of yourself.

        • clanginator@lemmy.world
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          It’s absurd. The article is literally about US and Chinese propaganda, and a comment making a quip about US propaganda gets downvoted and called irrelevant.

          Yuuup, nobody sipping propaganda here. And get called a tankie for wanting more rational thought and actual discussion than “China bad”.

        • hark@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          Unfortunately those rats have set up base here too. If it’s one thing the US is good at, it’s at setting up bases everywhere.

          • goldenlocks@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            Yeah I believe it. It’s nice they can’t ban me though. r/worldnews banned me seconds after I pointed out the top three articles of the day were from Radio Free Asia.

    • zephyreks@lemmy.ml
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      1 year ago

      Of course not! America is democratic and free, see, it’s written in this here Constitution so it must be true.