If Russian President Vladimir Putin is looking for approval for his invasion of Ukraine, he need look no further than the Chinese Internet. While the world overwhelmingly condemns Russia’s assault, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has been pushing for an alternative reality with pro-Russia, pro-Putin, pro-war propaganda on its social media platforms.
However, a group of Chinese dissidents is revealing to the world Beijing’s zealous support of Russia. Naming its social media campaign the Great Translation movement, the anonymous members created a Twitter account to collect messages containing pro-Russia sentiment from state-run China Central Television, Sina Weibo and WeChat, among others, and offer translations in languages including English, Japanese and Korean.
“One could argue that the [Bucha massacre] was staged. After all, [Ukrainian President Volodymyr] Zelenskiy is an actor doing what actors are trained to do,” one translated message said.
“At the beginning of the war, Ukrainians pretended to be corpses falling to the ground with makeup. So I am not surprised about it,” another said.
Subscribers to the dissidents’ Twitter account are encouraged to participate in the campaign by forwarding or reposting the messages on the platform of their choice. A month after its creation, the account has attracted more than 100,000 followers.
The Great Translation Movement is significant, for it unveils the CCP’s pernicious narratives, offers non-Chinese speakers an opportunity to examine many ludicrous propaganda efforts and puts a spotlight on the outcomes of CCP messaging.
The CCP aims its propaganda to international and domestic audiences. To non-Chinese speakers in the West, China is a closed book, and any discourse issued by Beijing often portrays its government as a “benevolent” and “magnanimous” entity. For those who are not familiar with the darker side of Beijing’s state propaganda, they could be misled into believing disinformation composed of obfuscation, concealment and hyperbole.
The Great Translation Movement is popping a hole in that bubble. It is exposing the true colors of the CCP’s ideologies and narratives to a worldwide audience. As social media platforms are heavily censored in China, comments and discourses that are allowed to remain online either align with the party’s ideology or work in favor of the party’s image.
However, messages discussing “sheltering Ukrainian women,” “Putin the Great” and “Ukraine deserved to be invaded” shed light on the CCP’s nationalistic ideology and anti-US stances as Beijing denies providing assistance to Russia.
Such extreme statements disclose the hard truth that China’s cyberspace only allows voices that are approved by and supportive of the CCP, while “dissident” voices are erased. Many Chinese who disagree with their government cannot make their voices heard for fear of reprisal, turning the Chinese Internet into an echo chamber, a space where the CCP’s ideology is only praised, reinforced and disseminated.
The Great Translation Movement is exposing the dark side of the CCP. It can also serve to remind people of the highly manipulative nature of online information, and how it can affect matters closer to home.
Chinese-backed platforms were spreading propaganda in favor of Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) presidential candidate Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) during the 2020 presidential election. To prevent such efforts from being effective in November’s mayoral elections, Taiwanese should read between the lines and beware of pro-China sentiments embedded in social media messages.
Trying to force a partnership between Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) and Intel Corp would be a wildly complex ordeal. Already, the reported request from the Trump administration for TSMC to take a controlling stake in Intel’s US factories is facing valid questions about feasibility from all sides. Washington would likely not support a foreign company operating Intel’s domestic factories, Reuters reported — just look at how that is going over in the steel sector. Meanwhile, many in Taiwan are concerned about the company being forced to transfer its bleeding-edge tech capabilities and give up its strategic advantage. This is especially
US President Donald Trump’s second administration has gotten off to a fast start with a blizzard of initiatives focused on domestic commitments made during his campaign. His tariff-based approach to re-ordering global trade in a manner more favorable to the United States appears to be in its infancy, but the significant scale and scope are undeniable. That said, while China looms largest on the list of national security challenges, to date we have heard little from the administration, bar the 10 percent tariffs directed at China, on specific priorities vis-a-vis China. The Congressional hearings for President Trump’s cabinet have, so far,
For years, the use of insecure smart home appliances and other Internet-connected devices has resulted in personal data leaks. Many smart devices require users’ location, contact details or access to cameras and microphones to set up, which expose people’s personal information, but are unnecessary to use the product. As a result, data breaches and security incidents continue to emerge worldwide through smartphone apps, smart speakers, TVs, air fryers and robot vacuums. Last week, another major data breach was added to the list: Mars Hydro, a Chinese company that makes Internet of Things (IoT) devices such as LED grow lights and the
US political scientist Francis Fukuyama, during an interview with the UK’s Times Radio, reacted to US President Donald Trump’s overturning of decades of US foreign policy by saying that “the chance for serious instability is very great.” That is something of an understatement. Fukuyama said that Trump’s apparent moves to expand US territory and that he “seems to be actively siding with” authoritarian states is concerning, not just for Europe, but also for Taiwan. He said that “if I were China I would see this as a golden opportunity” to annex Taiwan, and that every European country needs to think
RSS