Washington, D.C., March 11, 2024 – U.S. intelligence community has issued a report indicating Beijing’s intensifying efforts to covertly influence American public opinion and potentially sway the outcome of the 2024 presidential election.
According to Radio Free Asia (RFA), the report highlights that China is “expanding its global covert influence posture” to further the Chinese Communist Party’s objectives, focusing on casting doubts on U.S. leadership, undermining democratic values, and extending Beijing’s global influence.
The intelligence assessment, made public on Monday, underscores China‘s “intensified efforts to mold U.S. public discourse,” with particular attention to how Americans perceive Chinese sovereignty claims over regions like Hong Kong, Taiwan, Tibet, and Xinjiang.
RFA notes that the forthcoming presidential election, where President Joe Biden may face former President Donald Trump, could become a significant target for Beijing’s online influence operations, which have seen advancements in using artificial intelligence for generating politically charged content on platforms such as TikTok.
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During a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing, U.S. intelligence leaders shared insights from the report with lawmakers, revealing the complexities of detecting such covert operations. Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines emphasized that while Chinese President Xi Jinping seeks to maintain stable ties with the U.S., there’s no immediate signal of war breaking out in the Taiwan Strait.
However, FBI Director Christopher Wray expressed concerns over TikTok’s potential use in election influence, given its popularity and the obligations of its Chinese parent company ByteDance under Chinese law.
Despite these alarming findings, Liu Pengyu, a spokesperson for China‘s embassy in Washington, denied any intention by Beijing to interfere in the U.S. election, stating, “The election is U.S. domestic affairs, and China doesn’t interfere in other countries’ internal affairs.” This denial comes amid bipartisan efforts by U.S. lawmakers to address national security concerns associated with TikTok and other platforms potentially used for disinformation campaigns.
This report from the U.S. intelligence community, as covered by RFA, sheds light on the sophisticated and expanding nature of China‘s influence activities aimed at the United States. It underscores the importance of vigilance and the need for measures to protect the integrity of democratic elections from foreign interference.
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