The United States has the habit of manipulating social media to spread disinformation and China firmly opposes to such a practice, said a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman at a regular news briefing on Monday.
According to a media report, the U.S. military launched a secret propaganda campaign against China amid COVID-19 pandemic, using fake internet accounts to decry the safety and efficacy of vaccines made by China on social media.
The report also cited a senior U.S. military officer involving in the campaign, saying that "We didn't do a good job sharing vaccines with partners. So what was left to us was to throw shade on China's."
"We've noticed the report. Facts have proven once again that the U.S. has always manipulated social media to spread disinformation, poison the public opinion environment, and tarnish the image of other countries. China firmly opposes it," said Lin Jian, the spokesman.
"The words from the senior U.S. military officer that you mentioned reveal the truth and intention of the U.S. to launch disinformation campaigns against other countries. To put it simply, if the U.S. wants to contain and suppress a country, it will ignore the truth and coordinate its resources to smear and defame the country. This is evident not only in making propaganda and spreading disinformation on Chinese vaccines, but also in the discrediting of the popular Belt and Road Initiative, and in rumoring overcapacity of China's new energy vehicles. All these acts cannot show the U.S. has strong capabilities, but only exposes its hegemony and hypocrisy," Lin continued.
"The international community should keep eyes open and wake up to such acts of the United States. Major countries should behave as befits their status. We hope the U.S. will find the right mindset, assume its due responsibilities as a major country, and stop fabricating and spreading disinformation against other countries," said Lin.
China opposes US spreading disinformation to smear others: spokesman
