In an attempt to distance themselves from the origin of the Coronavirus, Chinese officials have begun promoting propaganda blaming the U.S. military for spreading the virus.
The virus has been spreading more quickly throughout the world, and is now labeled a “pandemic” by the World Health Organization. President Trump has called a national emergency and public schools, universities and facilities have begun to shut down across the country.
Coronavirus reportedly began in Wuhan, the capital of China’s Hubei province, in late 2019. But China seems committed to placing the blame elsewhere, pushing a conspiracy theory that the U.S. military brought it to them.
To understand the extent of the Chinese disinformation campaign—and how dangerous it is for the media to buy into it—read this and the accompanying article, brought to you by the spokesperson for the Information Department at the Foreign Ministry. It’s frightening. https://t.co/7t5QoUIKVM
— Kelsey Bolar (Harkness) (@kelseybolar) March 13, 2020
It doesn’t seem many in the U.S. are buying the conspiracy theory, but it’s chilling to see the lengths to which their government will go to promote it.
Keep any eye out for this kind of thing.