A covert campaign to destabilize Chinese social networks is reportedly being pursued by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), an act authorized by the Trump administration in 2019.
These actions involved the use of fake identities to distribute negative remarks about members of the Chinese Communist Party. The aim was more than just to defame these members, but also to incite paranoia within the ranks of Chinese officials. This would, in turn, force them to divert resources towards securing their digital territories.
The New Silk Road, an ambitious project led by China with international repercussions, was also under attack. It was portrayed as corrupt and wasteful, further tarnishing the reputation of the Chinese government.
Global Impact
The operation wasn’t limited to China. The campaign was extended to all countries where there was a competitive relationship between the US and China. The ambition here was to shape public opinion that could potentially be swayed by China.
The main regions of interest for the operation were identified as Southeast Asia, Africa, and the South Pacific. It bears a certain similarity to tactics used by the US during the Cold War against the Soviet Union.
Current Scenario
As of now, there is no sign that the Biden administration has halted this operation. This opens up the opportunity for China to use these revelations in an attempt to discredit the US.
A former CIA analyst has put forward the idea that China’s response might be to shine a spotlight on US involvement in the internal affairs of other nations. This could further escalate the situation, adding a layer of unpredictability to future interactions between China and the US.
