China exploits US social media to push its own Xinjiang narratives: Report

Canberra [Australia], July 26 : A new policy paper released by an Australian think tank has revealed how the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is continuing to exploit US-based social media platforms to influence unwitting audiences beyond China's territory.
The Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) released a policy paper last week where it warned that countries that seek to uphold human rights and liberties should be concerned about the successes of CCP information operations and the relentless resourcing and development of PRC propaganda on Xinjiang to obscure Chinese government abuses.
This includes the increasing number of countries in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Latin America supporting CCP policies in Xinjiang, the silence of governments in Muslim-majority countries, and corporations backtracking on statements about labour rights.
According to the think tank, CCP information operations targeting Xinjiang narratives and human rights abuses need to be countered now to mitigate the CCP's global campaign of repression.
"Achieving that requires governments and civil society to work more closely with social media platforms and broadcasters to deter and expose propaganda organisations and operatives," the report added.
It contends that governments, which are held accountable to democratic processes, must lead the policymaking process in coordination with allies and partners with shared interests.
"Economic sanctions regimes that target the perpetrators of serious human rights violations and abuses should be expanded to include the distributors of disinformation and foreign propaganda who silence, intimidate and continue the abuse of the survivors and victims of human rights violations," the report says.
This latest report comes as rights groups continue to highlight the Chinese government's crimes against humanity against Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims in the northwest region of Xinjiang.
According to Human Rights Watch (HRW), the Chinese leadership is responsible for widespread and systematic policies of mass detention, torture, and cultural persecution, among other offences.
The New York-based group says that coordinated international action is needed to sanction those responsible, advance accountability, and press the Chinese government to reverse course.
"The Chinese government's oppression of Turkic Muslims is not a new phenomenon, but in recent years it has reached unprecedented levels. In addition to mass detention and pervasive restrictions on practicing Islam, there is increasing evidence of forced labour, broad surveillance, and unlawful separation of children from their families," HRW said.
Several rights groups have argued that concerned governments should impose coordinated visa bans, travel bans, and targeted individual sanctions on authorities responsible for criminal acts.