China’s Campaign to Shape Global Opinion

Published January 31, 2022

Leaders of the Chinese Communist Party are eager to use propaganda and covert tactics to manipulate international opinion. Even within China, President Xi Jinping has silenced independent voices by creating a culture of restriction and submission. Monitoring China’s propaganda capabilities is critical to detecting and mitigating state-sponsored disinformation.

Discussion Questions:

1. Why is China’s dishonest narrative dangerous?
2. How has China suppressed free speech within its borders?

Additional Resources:

• Read “Telling China’s Story: The Chinese Communist Party’s Campaign to Shape Global Narratives,” by Glenn Tiffert, Renée DiResta, Carly Miller, Vanessa Molter, and John Pomfret. Available here.
• Read “The Authoritarian Assault on Knowledge,” by Glenn Tiffert in the Journal of Democracy, via Project MUSE. Available here.
• Watch “Changing the Narrative between America and China” on PolicyEd. Available here.