The Times unraveled a financial network that stretches from Chicago to Shanghai and uses American nonprofits to push Chinese talking points worldwide.

  • MicroWave@lemmy.worldOP
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    1 year ago

    On the surface, No Cold War is a loose collective run mostly by American and British activists who say the West’s rhetoric against China has distracted from issues like climate change and racial injustice.

    In fact, a New York Times investigation found, it is part of a lavishly funded influence campaign that defends China and pushes its propaganda. At the center is a charismatic American millionaire, Neville Roy Singham, who is known as a socialist benefactor of far-left causes.

    Mr. Singham says he does not work at the direction of the Chinese government. But the line between him and the propaganda apparatus is so blurry that he shares office space — and his groups share staff members — with a company whose goal is to educate foreigners about “the miracles that China has created on the world stage.”

    • SheeEttin@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      If he’s so socialist and far-left, why in the world would he support China? They’re politically communist in name only, and economically capitalist.

      • Asafum@feddit.nl
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        1 year ago

        Well even though I’m old enough where I should have already known this term, my time on lemmy has introduced me to Tankies.

        My guess is this guy is a Tankie: if it has communism in it in any way shape or form then it’s the most amazing thing ever and anything you say about it that would say otherwise is a dirty liberal lie.

        Something like that.

    • Alteon@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      No, but it’s scummy as fuck, and it’s interesting that an American is pushing Chinese talking points.

      I think people are pretty well aware at this point that social engineering, on a macroscale, is extremely effective at changing people’s views (albeit slowly). Look at what happened with Qanon, look how many people supported that. That was the dumbest thing I’ve ever seen, and people are STILL backing it even after it’s been proven to not only be a sham, but run by a pedophile out of Southeast Asia. Imagine the damage that can be done by a disinformation or social engineering campaign backed by one of the largest nations in the world.

      We are currently in a culture war - the implications of it could change everyone’s lives in the next couple of decades if we aren’t careful.

      • TokenBoomer@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        Doesn’t the U.S. do this in other countries? If America does it, and it’s not illegal, why can’t China? Weird that they didn’t mention that it’s legal in the article, right?

      • iain@feddit.nl
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        1 year ago

        it’s interesting that an American is pushing Chinese talking points

        Maybe he just agrees with it? What is it about Americans that they wouldn’t be convinced of other perspectives? Americans can only align with US propaganda?

    • felixthecat@kbin.social
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      1 year ago

      I think with evidence provided that they should have to register under FARA as foreign agents for China here to spread Chinese propaganda. I’m sure the writer of the article informed them.

  • Dizzy Devil Ducky@lemm.ee
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    1 year ago

    This is just another reason to add to the many as to why (if you ask me) we need to both

    a. To kill off the rich and…

    b. Kill off the CCP.

    Two wicked groups colluding against the common interests of keeping the world alive just so they can remain in power.

    • just_another_person@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      I’d argue the CCP certainly doesn’t care about keeping the planet alive. They care about keep those who are currently in power comfortable until they die, then I doubt they give a shit what happens.