The job of government spokesperson is never an easy one, but for those in Beijing — and at Chinese embassies around the world — it is getting much harder, as more nations start to push back against the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) propaganda, be it on the COVID-19 outbreak, Hong Kong, the South China Sea or the Belt and Road Initiative.
On Friday last week, a new international alliance was formed, the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, to promote and coordinate responses to “the challenges posed by the present conduct and future ambitions” of China by protecting democratic values, safeguarding the international rules-based order, upholding human rights, promoting trade fairness and protecting national integrity. When countries have stood up to Beijing they have often done so at great cost, the alliance said, adding that it “is a burden no country should have to shoulder on their own.”
In less than a week, the alliance, founded by former UK Conservative Party leader Iain Duncan Smith, has grown from 18 legislators including the chair of the Australian Parliament’s Intelligence Committee, a former Japanese minister of national defense, a member of Germany’s Greens and two Republican US senators to 104 on Thursday, representing 13 nations as well as the European Parliament. That lawmakers on opposite sides of the aisle in their country or from parties ideologically opposed internationally — such as the German Greens and US Republicans — have found common ground in their concerns speaks volumes.
Member of the European Parliament Reinhard Butikofer said the rapid and widespread growth of the alliance “signals to the CCP that we parliamentarians are in this for the long haul.”
However, it is not just the CCP that should take notice. Duncan Smith said that the international business community needs to be aware as well, slamming HSBC for its “appalling” backing of China’s planned national security legislation for Hong Kong after the bank said that the measures would stabilize the territory and help revive its economy. HSBC’s stance also drew criticism from US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who warned against an overreliance on Beijing.
Meanwhile, the European Commission was also talking tough on Wednesday, accusing China of running a disinformation campaign about the COVID-19 outbreak and the resulting pandemic.
In a report, the commission said that China and Russia were running “targeted influence operations and disinformation campaigns in the EU, its neighborhood, and globally.” While it has made similar accusations against Moscow, it had previously only talked about Chinese media coverage.
European Commission Vice President Vera Jourova told reporters: “I believe if we have evidence, we should not shy away from naming and shaming.”
On Thursday, Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Hua Chunying (華春瑩) told reporters that it was China that was the victim of misinformation, and accused the EU of speaking for the US.
“Anyone with no bias can see clearly who is the biggest perpetrator to make and spread disinformation about the pandemic,” Hua said.
The trouble for Hua and her colleagues is not only that “anyone” can see clearly who it is — the answer is Beijing — but that more are willing to speak up.
For too long, Taipei’s complaints about Beijing’s actions have been given short shrift, many people in other nations being willing to disregard them as ideological differences and many being unwilling to risk antagonizing China by publicly backing Taiwan.
However, whether it is Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe repeating on Thursday that it was “very regrettable” that Taiwan was not invited to the World Health Assembly meeting last month, or lawmakers in Europe and elsewhere fighting back against China’s disinformation efforts, a groundswell is beginning, as “anyone with no bias” can clearly see.
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