You’d think the media’s shoulders would be beyond sore, given all the water they’ve carried for China over the past couple of months. But nope. They’re still doing it, readily and willingly.
Over to you, Politico:
Trump is getting roasted on Chinese Twitter for his virus response, highlighting a broad verdict there: America disastrously faltered while China outperformed https://t.co/GTjxnvCVuM
— POLITICO (@politico) May 4, 2020
“The verdict is in.”
Are you kidding me, @politico?
Chinese social media isn’t free nor does it represent a “verdict.” It’s an arm of the CCP propaganda machine, and people posting “China = good, US = bad” are likely doing so to up their “Social Credit” score to avoid being carted off to a gulag. pic.twitter.com/hhH5IAAeBY
— Spencer Brown (@itsSpencerBrown) May 4, 2020
David Wertime writes:
Chinese social media is a highly imperfect lens into widespread public sentiment, full of hot tempers, trolls, and the ever-present specter of censorship, particularly given the ruling Communist Party’s power and proclivity to punish dissenting voices. It is emphatically not real life; American visitors to China generally describe encountering warmth, or at least respect, even during times of high tension between the countries.
But even though Wertime acknowledges that “Chinese social media is a highly imperfect lens into widespread public sentiment,” he’s more than happy to use it to make the United States look like the bad guy.
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Wertime’s piece concludes:
If many Chinese are susceptible to triumphal propaganda, it’s partly because, for an increasingly large share of the population, nothing in their lived experience contradicts it. For all the doubt about the veracity of Chinese GDP growth numbers, the improvement in the quality of life for countless millions of Chinese citizens in recent decades is real, palpable and impressive. Younger Chinese “are accustomed to the Olympics, high-speed rail and mobile payments, and have no direct personal memories of poverty, hunger, or turmoil,” Huang says. They have been raised to believe their government can deliver the goods; now, they are being taught that America’s government cannot.
“One month ago they told me the U.S. had developed testing,” began a popular comment on Weibo, posted in early April. “One month ago, they told me the U.S. could take care of its own health; one month ago they told me the U.S. would stabilize as soon as it mobilized; one month ago they said U.S. industry was developed enough to produce the needed ventilators. Now I finally understand; it was all just talk.”
Holy crap! This @Politico piece literally calls what the Chinese people are permitted to see by their Communist-led government the "gritty, uncensored reality [of] America."https://t.co/Q6jWOJ5Guf pic.twitter.com/Vz2Vss8qGm
— jerylbier (@JerylBier) May 4, 2020
Thank you, David. You’ve been an enormous help.
This alert was a jaw dropper.
— Jim Lokay #StayHome (@LokayFOX5) May 4, 2020
How does this propaganda even get published?
You realize China blocked mass access to Twitter in 2009 and the government closely monitors the activity of those who circumvent the blocks? https://t.co/Gsbfg4O0Ps https://t.co/OF0uVWVa1M
— (((AG))) (@AGHamilton29) May 4, 2020
The same media that pushed Russiagate conspiracies, now openly colludes in a foreign influence campaign by China. @politico should be embarrassed. https://t.co/Ti8jJmSTBW
— Michael Duncan (@MichaelDuncan) May 4, 2020
Politico had lost all credibility.
— Jon Medlin (@JonMedlin1) May 4, 2020
Pathetic. But sadly, not unexpected.
Makes you wonder how much Of @politico is owned by the CCP.
— I’m your Huckleberry (@MrDMummery) May 4, 2020
Hey you're never going to believe what the author of this piece's job title is at Politico. pic.twitter.com/KLaFDELMCa
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) May 4, 2020
Politico apparently just hired this guy to spew Chinese propaganda.
Why not just let China pay him directly? pic.twitter.com/TjyfG51Rkf
— (((AG))) (@AGHamilton29) May 4, 2020
POLITICO IS LITERALLY CHINESE PROPAGANDA. https://t.co/8CSv07BanX
— ??????? ?????????? (@m16a172) May 4, 2020
Politico certainly isn’t trying to disabuse anyone of that notion.
Places like the NY Times and Wash Post are demanding that we need more journalists in China to expose what is happening over there. Except this is the result, almost every time. Regurgitated Chinese state propaganda. They are useful idiots, and they don't care.
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) May 4, 2020
When journalists try to report the actual truth on China they get kicked out of the country or worse, jailed, or disappeared.
So they just do what China tells them to and keep their nice paychecks instead. And their employers here tolerate it.
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) May 4, 2020
hope xi sees this, politico
— Logan Hall (@loganclarkhall) May 4, 2020
Editor’s note: This post has been updated with additional text and tweets.
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