Propaganda

All news and posts of our editorial team on the topic

Merics warns of manipulation
A new Merics study shows: In the last five years, China has increasingly aspired to co-determine discourse in other countries – including in Europe. continue reading →
Model soldier for the new era
Hardly any propaganda campaign has endured as steadfastly as that of Lei Feng. Sixty years after the death of the helpful model soldier, China's President Xi Jinping wants his star to shine brighter than ever. However, young Chinese people are largely indifferent to it. continue reading →
The Wandering Earth II: special effects and propaganda
Since its release, the film has been praised as a cultural milestone - especially in the state media. As the movie series "Wolf Warrior" before it, politically aware viewers can learn a lot about China's self-conception from the sequel to "Wandering Earth". continue reading →
Propaganda: zero-Covid becomes zero-caution
The abrupt end of the zero-Covid policy also creates a serious problem for state propaganda. China's leadership is looking for a new narrative and is resorting to tried-and-tested methods. But the loss of public trust could still have consequences. continue reading →
Xu Lin – Workaholic in the service of propaganda
The Chinese propaganda apparatus currently has plenty of work on two fronts. The party congress is coming up in the fall. It is only helpful if the vast majority of citizens are convinced that the promised “common prosperity” is still a realistic goal. However, parts of the international community are increasingly skeptical about the People’s […] continue reading →
Fragile Hearts: Cancel Culture in China
Nowadays, no one is safe from the public outcry over supposedly improper remarks. Not only global corporations, but even pop stars loyal to the state are now quickly pilloried on the Internet for hurting the "feelings of the people." The government utilizes this patriotic outrage to push its foreign policy agenda. continue reading →
Disinformation campaigns with little success
Beijing is also spreading its narratives on Western social media. Especially since the beginning of the Covid pandemic, disinformation campaigns aimed at showing China in a better light have increased on the web. The success, however, has been moderate, as observers note. Nevertheless, they warn of a potential tech dependency of the West. continue reading →
Report: Chinese disinformation campaign in the USA
China has deliberately exploited divided opinions in the US over the Covid pandemic, according to cybersecurity firm Mandiant and Google experts. With the help of online attacks, disinformation and fake accounts, the Chinese government even tried to mobilize protesters, CNN reported on Wednesday, citing the experts’ report.The operation, which originally sought to discredit pro-democracy protests […] continue reading →
China’s propaganda in Western media
China is taking advantage of the economic hardships of Western publishers to buy itself reputable platforms for its propaganda. In the US, but also in Germany, large sums of money flow into advertisements and inserts in renowned newspapers and magazines. Things could hardly go any better for Beijing. Because this provides the People's Republic a platform for the public display of its political interests. continue reading →
Pandemic drama tops box office chart
The pandemic movie “Chinese Doctors” topped the Chinese box office charts again this weekend, as the China Movie Data Information Network reported. It stars a number of superstars, including Zhang Hanyu and Yuan Quan. Since its release on July 9, the film grossed over ¥778 million yuan (€100 million), as news agency Xinhua reported. The […] continue reading →
Controversy over Confucius Institute: “Big Brother is watching you”
Confucius Institutes around the globe are suspected of involvement in propaganda and espionage. In Japan, the Ministry of Education has even launched an official investigation. A fight with critics often take on bizarre forms, as the latest example in Slovakia shows, where the director of one of the institutes surprised with crude remarks. continue reading →