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on disinformation campaign / PR for projection purposes soft power Much has been written. But far fewer have investigated one’s motives. inappropriate and completely inappropriate reactions from an actor who would otherwise has a lot of external prestige and maintains traditional diplomatic customs without confrontation at this level.
Although I can’t deny it designing the “mask campaign” and aid distributed for their own political benefit, it must be said that these approaches are based on a certain panic and intrusion of the Chinese Communist Party apparatus but also a certain need Self defense. And I’m not referring to the labels assigned to the coronavirus “Chinese virus”, “Wuhan virus”, as well as the direct responsibility that can be deposited in China for trigger and especially the magnitude of the crisis.
The more serious, the more difficult it is to deny blame for the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic by tolerance of live animal markets, lack of cleanliness and outbreaks of infection with different types of coronavirus in China, in large urban agglomerations, and that 17 years after another crisis of the same bill, SARS. The WHO takeover and pre-eminent control led to drowsiness of world body surveillance whose prestige was compromised by take over chinese rhetoric and narrative. Two months after the crisis erupted, on January 14, the WHO announced in Beijing that no human-to-human coronavirus transmission, so that, within a month, the global pandemic is declared.
Coronavirus business: stenosis and communist secret of reality
Beijing’s initial rhetoric was that no problem with the virus. Since November, the issue was known at the White House, according to reports from doctors and the CIA. The first cases in Hubei they were confirmed, known and reported in December, through the newspaper Caixin, from Beijing, quoted by Michał Bogusz, Head of the China Research Program at the Center for Oriental Studies at the Warsaw Institute. Thus, from December 24 – 9 virus samples were harvested from patients with specific pneumonia and they were sent to various laboratories.
Guangzhou Private Laboratory was the first to identify the respective coronavirus and its elements, and it was reported on December 27 and January 1 the report was sent to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the authorities in Hubei. Hubei Health Commission any other evidence prohibited and ordered destruction of all existing samples virus. She also blocked dissemination of additional information, preparing for a big party meeting in Hubei.
Even then 8 people were arrested why They were “spreading rumors” about the new disease. Later it turned out that these were doctors who tried warn the authorities and the public in relation to the seriousness of the situation. On January 14, the WHO director arrived in Beijing and went to the press conference with the Chinese leader and the WHO. took the information from Beijing according to which, in relation to the new virus, there would be no cases of transmission of the infection from human to human! This fact was already included in the famous CIA report two months earlier!
Only on January 20 President Xi announced an epidemic which is based on a new coronavirus. Quarantine in Wuhan, the epicenter of the crisis, appeared only in January 23, but at that time, they had already left Hubei 11 million people that have spread the disease throughout China and around the world. Obviously the numbers advanced by the Chinese authorities The first part of the crisis and the lack of real deaths are absolutely fantastic! And in terms of the total, and regarding the current situation, which generated the second wave of the crisis.
The battle of narratives and China’s aggressiveness. – generally very attentive to its respectability – came from Zhao Lijian who arrived Deputy Director of the Department of Public Information after demonstrating virulence and aggression at the Chinese Embassy in Pakistan between 2015-2019. His blatantly aggressive approaches they were not welcomed by senior diplomats, first of all, the US ambassador to China, Cui Tiankai, whom he did not thank the idea of passing responsibility and send arrows and false news that the virus was implanted by American soldiers in Wuhan through social media, an obvious fake, but also a source that created the United States as an enemy in this war of perceptions, narratives, and images.
The reason the Chinese Communist Party marched was the desperate need to change the internal narrative and at least that of those close to the international level regarding China’s blame for this crisis. Nevertheless the calculation was very bad: The ostentatious departure in the foreground with this misinformation, with the aggressiveness of embassies everywhere in to combat China’s positions of responsibility in the United States, since the aid policy only made draw attention to China – otherwise, a much more subtle, attentive and accomplished actor in terms of external visibility – and put it in the center of the ring and under all the global spotlights, Where were Donald Trump, the world press and diplomats from European states, exasperated by this unexpected aggression in times of crisis?
The Battle of Narratives and the Error of Beijing’s Aggressive Approach: The Awakening of Hurricane Trump and Retaliation from the United States
Chinese-American rivalry had deep roots: first geopoliticalglobal then commercial, from the ongoing war, which is far from being an armistice, and especially the coronavirus crisis in the middle of the presidential electoral campaign, in which Donald Trump faces his late Democratic rival, Joe Biden, but also the economic effects of the crisis that amputates one of the main arguments for reelection. In this unfavorable context, with the closure of the US economy, China’s confrontation has come. That’s how it went!
All the outpouring of dissatisfaction was linked to COVID-19 pandemic, repeatedly calling Trump “The Chinese virus” and China’s overall responsibility for the outbreak of the epidemic and to hiding his greatness in front of the whole world, to solve the epidemic in China, through immediate harsh measures, but transforming the plague into a global pandemic. Stirred Beijing dissatisfaction regarding the United States’ formal allegations of China’s responsibility for the pandemic affecting the entire world.
In March of a. Donald Trump has directly accused China of spreading the COVID-19 virus, arguing that this “could have stopped right where it came from, China“What did not happen, so that “the world pays a high price for what they have done“ Trump considers, referring to the Chinese. Faced with accusations that could seriously affect its international profile, China was forced to respond them, so he rejected the conclusions announced by the United States intelligence community that the magnitude of the COVID-19 epidemic would have been hidden, which would have led, according to the United States, to the pandemic caused by the new coronavirus. On the other hand, China, in turn, has accused the US state of trying to blame the way it handled the situation in its territory..
Only in late March, virulent and aggressive propaganda activity China stopped, before the Xi-Trump telephone discussion, and did not reappear after that. It was also determined by cessation of references to Chinese virus / Wuhan virusBut the effects continued to feel and hurt for China. United States and Donald Trump Beijing was punished for this approach after validating and signing the Taipei Law, through which The United States supported Taiwan’s foreign policy. This was the cost of insane warfare.
China realized too late that went too far with this aggressive approach on the American origin of the virus and discovered he loses the battle of narratives. Chinese propaganda is generally directed at the Chinese public, who can convince them that is under American attack, so you can join the leadership, even if the attacks occur abroad and return to the country through the Chinese media and the diaspora. secondary messages are addressed to friendly and dependent governments – mainly from Africa, Russia, etc.
Unlike Chinafor example who held in his prestige and the maintenance of honor in the international community, keeping appearances, at least until this episode, Russia, on the other hand, has other tools and behaviorwhere fear is the goal of psychological operations and distributed messages must be enshrined its power and greatness, its international relevance, without any consideration of reality or of a diplomatic or political direction. The target is directly the citizen of the West.
Destroying the prestige of the WHO
Internationally World Health Organization was designated by successive resolutions of the World Health Assembly, to provide Guidance and technical support in case of pandemics through actions aimed at preventing and controlling influenza pandemics and annual outbreaks; strengthen preparedness and response to influenza pandemics; pandemic influenza preparedness, including providing access to vaccines and other benefits. In the fight against epidemics / pandemics, WHO collaborates with international state actors to coordinate actions, establish global pandemic phases, vaccine production, coordination to quickly isolate contagious outbreaks / outbreaks and in rapid assessment of the severity of the pandemic.
In sight limit the effects of epidemics / pandemicsWHO developed in 1999, based on consultations with subject matter experts, a global pandemic preparedness plan, plan revised in 2005 and 2009. The provisions of this plan are also reflected in national plans developed by states to combat pandemics, plans based on the provisions of the WHO.
Nevertheless The World Health Organization has seriously lost credibility. after the organization’s leader, the Ethiopian TEdros Adhanom Ghebreyesus teamed up with President Donald Trump’s collimator to China’s biased rescue positions. In fact, it is known WHO director’s “privileged” relationship with Beijing, being an outstanding leader of the communist party in his native country.
Whether or not the virus appears is a scenario worthy of conspiracy theory, it is true that The irresponsible way in which China handled the crisis during the embryonic period is a sufficient argument for give you most of the blame because of the situation he came to. And this becomes one more important tool. And the takeover of Chinese narratives by the WHO also destroyed the prestige of the international organization on this occasion.
what is true China offers medical assistance since 1963So the Chinese state has a history of medical and humanitarian diplomacy for decades. And the examples where China involved is multiple: in 1963, he sent a team of doctors to Algeria after the end of the civil war here; in 2005, after the earthquake that shook the Pakistani city of Muzaffarabad, China sent a team of 49 doctors to help the victims; In 2010, after the earthquake in Haiti, Beijing sent 60 doctors to the island; And a year later, in 2011, after the earthquake in Tohoku, Japan, a team of 15 people arrived at the site of the tragedy in 48 hours to provide assistance. But never ignored and did not exacerbate their role in these humanitarian missionsdid not try to make political gains and did not use these activities ostentatiously at the image level, as it did, incorrectly, in the coronavirus crisis. And this also cost him.
Failed public relations campaign in Europe: faulty aid return and excessive focus on purchased “Chineseisms” and aid refutations
The negative evolutions caused by the worldwide expansion of the new coronavirus, which can be classified as a transnational threat, caught the attention of the intelligence services, diplomacies and national security structures of to international state actors, being evident the attempt of some countries identify and exploit opportunities caused by the evolutions that led to the COVID-19 pandemic. China it is the first of these countries and has made it too visible the Chinese state holds itself responsible for the current situation.
In this sense, Beijing has triggered a Public relations campaign nothing subtle trying to outline it the state image on the first line in an attempt to save the world. Sending doctors and medical equipment, including masks, gloves, ventilators in various states to support the fight against the virus, are actions that support China’s intentions to become the “savior” of the world, at least in the areas where you have access from this position. This behavior that can betray awareness and a way to accept responsibility for the crisis they’re trying to limit in the end However, China attracted public attention for the second time..
There are multiple examples regarding China’s participation worldwide in the fight against the pandemic: the Chinese billionaire Jack Ma, the founder of Alibaba., donated on March 16 a.c. one million masks and hundreds of thousands of test kits in the United States of America; In the same period, Belgium received 500,000 masks from Jack Ma. All this help hid that Italy had sent support to China, like other European states, at the height of the coronavirus epidemic crisis., remaining in suffering and without reservation.
A higher alarm signal in this sense it was pulled by Josep Borrell, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy who warned that “the generosity policy“Hide a”geopolitical component, including the struggle for influence“In a deciphering of the message that the Chinese, for example, want to convey, that “unlike the United States“, China”is a stable and reliable partner“, the support provided by the two states to Europeans and the United States of America, masks the hidden propaganda behind medical actions, which, however, during the complicated period that the world is going through, are interpreted even at a European level in a totally different key.
But China’s failure to achieve its goals in Europe also comes from the total insufficiency of the obvious responsibility for the coronavirus crisis with the image of the savior of the states in difficulty that China originally created by sending medical supplies to European countries. But the image began to collapses, bit by bit, with every announcement made by officials in Europe about non-compliance of goods received from China with the needs of European countries during the pandemic.
It must be said that for a state that sends humanitarian aid, no matter what is there, it is unusual that the diplomacy of the states that receive them to go public and reveal its useless content. The gift horse is said to be not looking for teeth, but the fact that these realities have also been exposed. the quality of the purchased materials – and are presented as help, sometimes, by some states – show exasperation of western diplomacy, mainly European, in the face of this ostentatious PR of China.
AFP PHOTO
In summary, as of March 1, BC, China has shipped to over 50 states (including Europeans) around four million masks, 16,000 fans, 37.5 million protective clothing, and 2.84 million test kits. But the Europeans decreased, one by one, the efficiency of the received. Thus, Spain has withdrawn 58,000 test kits of the new coronavirus purchased from a Chinese company on March 27 B.C. then, The Netherlands has announced that it will withdraw tens of thousands of masks from use. about who announced that they do not comply (they have defective filters or they do not close correctly). Another example comes from Slovakia, where Prime Minister Igor Matovic declared in March B.C. than more than a million tests Slovakia received from China “they should be thrown directly into the Danube“, indicating their non-compliance with the use for which they were received.
China’s fundamental losses globally: prestige, economy, trade, relocation, sanctions.
Of course China’s failure although it’s still one your financial resources have spoken to the detriment of reality. It is almost as if Beijing is trying to legitimize itself as the driving force behind the Paris climate deal, although it is the world’s largest polluter, while in the current crisis COVID-19 stands as the generous savior, although his absolutely irresponsible actions from the preamble to the crisis led to the current global health crisis.
China has also tried to suggest to some states about its role and use it financial interests related to the Chinese market, but also those related to Chinese investments in Central and Eastern Europe, but also slipped on the slope of abuse of dominant position, such as the manufacturer of pandemic protection equipment– Sometimes monopolistic. The effects do not show much and result in exit from the markets where China has proceeded at the same time as a succession of repatriation of multinationals and the relocation of European and American production in the country.
But these are not the only problems in China. If the initial option to relocate the challenger’s new pole to world leadership, and is also continuity, that of a Natural alliances between Russia and China, for mutual support and image improvement, China missed the coronavirus crisis by denying the second wave of the next pandemic, and Russia through denial of impact crisis, which reached its peak today. More than 2000 cases per day. and the ambulance lines that remain with the patients in the queue for 15 hours to be admitted to the specialized hospital they also collapsed the triumphalist presentation of the great achievements and greatness of his authoritarian leadership Putin. Disappeared on April 2 and it left the governors and mayors the task of managing the crisis and taking the blame for the dead.
Also, how half of new cases on Sunday in China – completely debatable because of the way the Communist Party handles it – come from Moscow-Shanghai Aviation – direct evidence of the impact of the coronavirus in Russia, beyond the price of oil – the great Sino-Russian friendship could definitely jump in the air, with the blockade of transport and the border this time on the Chinese side, as Russia did at the beginning of the crisis.
In parallel, several rapid processes are carried out in succession, repatriation of companies using the Chinese workforce. South Korea He has done it again since November Japan fund repatriation companies. USA introduced this conditioning in his economic war with China and as far as I’m concerned European states and companies, they will also use some tools robotics and the lack of need for cheap labor, the need to produce absolutely mandatory goods in pandemic crises on dry land or directly at home, but also China’s Subtle Punishment Formulas – that he is unlikely to be sentenced in international court for responsibilities in triggering the coronavirus crisis, but it will pay indirectly, in these more subtle and justified versions of the crisis that is happening now.
Also, in step two, Europe will even be able to play supporting the role of both the United States, as well as China and Russia in the fight against the pandemic. He will remember and make public that the first aid route was from Europe to China, not the other way around. But in the Chinese-American rivalry, Europe will be forced to choose. The difficult point will be when the designation of china not only correct responsible for the crisis, but also as the enemy of the free world a position already in the US National Security Strategy. And that seems to have been simpler and more acceptable to Europeans and the international world after the coronavirus crisis. and The prospect of a complete decoupling of the global Chinese and transatlantic economies, which will materialize with the marginalization of communist China in the world and in world trade, will force the invariable choice of the EU, but also under great pressure on Russia and other states close to China today to choose their part carefully.
