A report by the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has found that the People's Republic of China is intensifying its propaganda efforts across the world, The Guardian reports.
A survey of journalist unions across 58 countries revealed that China is using study tours, control of media infrastructure, and the provision of pro-Beijing content to run "an extensive and sophisticated long-term outreach campaign … [in] a strategic, long-term effort to reshape the global news landscape with a China-friendly global narrative," and that the decade-long campaign "seems to be escalating."
Journalists from 29 countries admitted that they had been on trips to China, presumably sponsored by the PRC. Around 60% of respondents replied that China has a visible presence in their national media, and around 30% of the journalism unions surveyed had been approached by Chinese entities seeking joint agreements.
The research found Beijing increasingly relies upon non-Chinese journalists, especially from developing countries, to amplify its own talking points.