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<v 0>While the world was battling the coronavirus.</v>

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Another war was raging online and a new power player had emerged and

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investigation by the associated press.

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In collaboration with the Atlantic council found that the Chinese government has

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essentially weaponized Twitter and Facebook as part of a relentless and ongoing

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propaganda war to deflect blame for the COVID 19 pandemic.

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<v 1>People traditionally think about Russia.</v>

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When they think about foreign information operations with COVID that really

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began to change. And we found that China played a central role, uh,

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with COVID disinformation.

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<v 0>The AP and the Atlantic council's digital forensic research lab analyzed</v>

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millions of interactions on Twitter from last year and compiled hundreds of

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articles and posts on other social media platforms around the world.

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The investigation found that Chinese diplomats had added dozens and dozens of

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accounts to Twitter and Facebook,

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even though those platforms are banned in China.

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<v 2>The Chinese government has an incredibly well developed</v>

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disinformation apparatus.

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<v 0>Marika, Auburn. Co-authored a book on Chinese propaganda.</v>

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She says China has traditionally use that disinformation apparatus on its own

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people,

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but she says that domestic propaganda machine is now increasingly being aimed

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abroad.

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<v 2>Western countries for the first time,</v>

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saw China engaging in this more. What's known as Russian style tactics,

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all throwing mud and seeing what sticks.

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<v 0>The APN Atlantic council researchers found that the Chinese government initially</v>

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tried to tamp down on COVID conspiracy theories when the China virus invaded our

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shores. But as former president, Donald Trump,

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Republican members of Congress and others continue to suggest that China had

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created and leaked the virus Beijing fought back.

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<v 1>Leading us officials pushed forward these theories without presenting evidence</v>

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to support their claims. And as those voices intensified,

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China then began to move from defense to offense and really

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double down on its its claims that this virus was possibly created by the us

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military.

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<v 0>One key actor was Yao lesion, a spokesman for China's foreign ministry.</v>

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Ciao suggested that the virus was created in a lab at Fort Dietrich, Maryland,

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and brought to Wu Han in late 2019.

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<v 1>Those tweets were amplified by tens of thousands of accounts around the world in</v>

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dozens of languages, which together had tens of millions of followers.

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<v 0>The virus was first identified in China and the scientific consensus is that it</v>

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was not manufactured.

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International researchers have traveled to blue hon trying to pinpoint the

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pandemic's origin,

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but Olberg says China's tactics have been enough to muddy the waters.

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<v 2>And that to the Chinese government, at least in the international context.</v>

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<v 0>In a detailed response to the AP China's ministry of foreign affairs said its</v>

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diplomats have used social media,

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like other diplomats to present facts and have been quote resolutely

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to political manipulation through the epidemic.

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The statement goes on to say that China has always opposed the creation and

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spread of false information. At the same time,

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China is also a victim of all kinds of false information about China.

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Yet the ruling communist party continues to push the Fort Dietrich store.

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<v 1>[Inaudible] Juneteenth Hammond,</v>

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Kayvon bill 30 cobalt CD. There were multiple polls,

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which showed that by March one in three to one in four people in

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number of countries around the world believes that COVID was manmade and

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possibly created by a hostile foreign power.

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<v 0>Iran, Russia, the U S and many others played big roles in this drama,</v>

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but as clear, China had the most to lose and to gain Alan breed

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associated press.