US Midterms: Report Alleges Pro-China Campaign Targets Elections

Facts

• On Wednesday, Google-owned cybersecurity firm Mandiant released a report claiming that a pro-China online influence campaign is seeking to discredit US democracy and discourage voting in the November midterm elections.¹
• The report claims to have found fake accounts across the internet that spread pro-China messaging, criticisms of American democracy, and videos allegedly from Americans downplaying the effectiveness of voting.²
• Mandiant also alleges that the campaign — dubbed Dragonbridge — has spread false narratives, such as linking a renowned hacking group based in China to the US government and claiming the US is responsible for the Nord Stream gas pipeline explosions.³
• While it didn't specifically link the campaign to the Chinese government, Mandiant assessed with 'high confidence' that Dragonbridge was operating in support of Chinese political interests. According to the report, however, the campaign's efforts have seen 'limited' results.¹
• Mandiant has been tracking Dragonbridge since mid-2019. In 2021, the company reported the campaign was active on at least 30 social media platforms in several languages, including English, Chinese, German, Russian, Spanish, Korean, and Japanese.⁴

Sources: ¹Al Jazeera, ²NBC, ³Axios and ⁴The Record by Recorded Future.

Narratives

• Anti-China narrative, as provided by Wired. Despite Dragonbridge's lack of success, it may mark a new phase in foreign adversaries' use of disinformation. While not directly linked to Beijing, its pro-China crusade leaves little room for doubt over its origination. Given China's widespread cyber intrusions, future Chinese disinformation campaigns should be a significant concern for the rest of the world as tensions continue to rise with the West.
• Pro-China narrative, as provided by Global Times. This so-called report is yet another attempt to peddle Washington's hypocritical, dangerous, and false agenda. While pretending to seek world order, the US is clutching to a Cold War mentality that villainizes countries that don't embrace its mandates. Unlike the West, China doesn't seek to export its system to other countries, and its influence has been gained by legitimate growth.