Chinese law requires all its citizens, including those living overseas, to spy for the regime when “requested” to do so. There is no option to decline. It threatens families at home and employs even more coercive measures overseas. Sometimes, the appeal is made by labeling the “request” an act of patriotism. Always, it is outside the internationally-accepted norms of public diplomacy. China’s corps of military-civilian spies, however, are only one tool among many in Beijing’s arsenal of weapons. Covid-19 finally is waking the world to this dark side of China.
Nations are growing more aware of the extent of China’s covert influence peddling and other espionage operations due to the regime’s increasingly aggressive behavior and blatantly false pandemic narrative. The West exposed the CCP’s futile attempt to deflect blame from its actions related to the pandemic. But that doesn’t mean influence peddling has stopped. It still is an instrument China uses quite effectively in its intelligence operations. By engaging overseas Chinese, or foreign individuals, it is able to extract praise for Beijing in exchange for money or favors. This is the case in Australia. It is a mixture of bribery and extortion. China uses it pervasively in many countries, not just Australia. The goal is to alter world opinion to favor China and the CCP leadership. China’s desperation to do so in light of the Covid-19 environment is obvious.
China also is using some of the accolades it purchases to reinforce the legitimacy of the Chinese Communist Party at home. It needs these foreign narratives praising China to convince the country’s domestic audience that the CCP remains the sole source of all that is good. The reality, however, is at odds with the false Covid-19 narratives. The world is starting to recognize and unify against China’s tactics.
An October 3, 1903, editorial in The Nation called for exposing Tammany Hall and the unscrupulous alliances surrounding it. “This, the most serious menace to the cause of good government, cannot be handled with kid gloves.” A century later the Covid-19 pandemic finally is persuading Americans to tear off the kid gloves when it comes to exposing China’s covert operations. Beijing makes Tammany Hall look pubescent in the level of sophistication and breadth of its bribery, extortion and overseas coercive operations.
Before the pandemic one might have assumed praise for China simply was related to “public diplomacy” efforts by Beijing. There are, however, significant legal differences. China bribes, coerces, and threatens overseas Chinese and others to ensure they present the positive picture that President Xi Jinping and the CCP want the world to see. It is not real. From China’s perspective, it is painting a picture to help it achieve its end goals. Honest public diplomacy, in contrast, is about open and transparent government efforts to communicate with foreign audiences to build public support for strategic objectives by providing new information and perspectives.
China is a beautiful country but an extremely dangerous nation-state today. Everyone is familiar with tales of the celestial emperor, revered by non-Han peoples kowtowing before him and offering up treasures. China still views itself as the Middle Kingdom with President Xi Jinping playing the role of a modern day celestial emperor. He is demanding fealty from the world and attempting to dominate politically around the globe as did China’s early emperors. Militarily Xi seeks hegemon status. To accomplish his end goals Xi assumes an aggressive posture toward his own citizens. He consciously commits acts verging on genocide to subdue minority opposition to his harsh policies. The world watched as Tibet, the Uyghur minority, and now Hong Kong fell victim to his edicts.
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Xi Jinping and the CCP leadership made the decision to try to strip the United States of its alliances. Australia was just one of its targets. Since Canberra has extensive trade relations with Beijing and there is a large Chinese diaspora, influence operations were part of the plan. The CCP paid legislators to change their vote on Australia’s position on the South China Sea, an extradition treaty with China, and on Covid-19 inquiries. In the long run, however, China failed. Australia woke up and took action just as the US needs to do today.
It took Australia time to garner enough legislators willing to stand up to China and vote for Australian interests first. It was late 2018 when Australia finally passed a law prohibiting foreign donations to political campaigns. The important point is that Australia did stop China from funneling millions of dollars through businessmen and hundreds of community and patriotic organizations. China used an old Soviet Cold War era play book in its attempt to coopt Australia. The United States and other western nations can’t allow China to go unchecked any longer.
DARIA NOVAK served in the United States State Department during the Reagan Administration, and currently is on the Board of the American Analysis of News and Media Inc., which publishes usagovpolicy.com and the New York Analysis of Policy and Government. Each Friday, she presents key updates on China.
Illustration: Pixabay