CHINA PROMOTING US LOCKDOWN PROTESTS, SPREAINDG MISINFORMATION

https://www.revenuehits.com/lps/pubref/?ref=@RH@yFrunQv_mzw-z-eHW6TrQFgCNN7_AvfT

CHINA PROMOTING US LOCKDOWN PROTESTS, SPREAINDG MISINFORMATION

The original document included language that spoke of “a global disinformation campaign to deflect blame for the outbreak of the pandemic and improve its international image.” The new version also omitted references to China’s criticism of France and a pro-Chinese bot network in Serbia.

According to the South China Morning Post, the section was removed after Beijing warned EU diplomats based in China that there would be “repercussions” if the document was published. The Post reported that diplomats worried that the report would “strain” relations and make it “difficult to get medical supplies” from China.

The Times reported that Esther Osorio, a communications adviser to EU Minister for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell, ordered the delay of publication.

Osorio supposedly asked analysts to revise the document to focus less on China and Russia to avoid accusations of bias.  Instead, she asked that the document differentiates between pushing disinformation and aggressively pushing a narrative.

At least one analyst formally objected to the delays and edits, writing to her bosses that the European Union was “self-censoring to appease the Chinese Communist Party.”

The Times spoke with Peter Stano, the EU spokesman, who said no revisions to the document had been ordered in response to diplomatic pressure, nor had the document been delayed.

Fox News spoke with Stano regarding the accusations.

"The publications of the EEAS are categorically independent. We have never bowed to any alleged external political pressure. This includes also our latest snapshot overview on diss info trends published last Friday," Stano said.

"The public EEAS special report makes clear reference to the continued use of conspiracy narratives and disinformation from government and State-backed sources, including Russia and China. This is a good indicator of the fact that the EU did not back down to any outside pressure."

"The New York Times article makes ungrounded, inaccurate allegations and contains factually incorrect conclusions about the EEAS’ report. They have also used our replies and explanations in a disproportionate and selective way. We have written a letter to the Editor of the New York Times to express our disappointment with the article, and have invited them to consult the www.euvsdisinfo.eu website in order to fully understand the extent of the EEAS leading work to collect, analyze and expose disinformation about the coronavirus."