Russian foreign minister exaggerates Russia-China relations, ignores nuances

On March 12, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov spoke with American bloggers Mario Nawfal, Larry C. Johnson and Andrew Napolitano in Moscow. When asked whether the U.S. administration’s efforts to normalize relations with Moscow are just to use Russia “cynically against the Chinese,” Lavrov rejected such possibility. He described Russia-China relations as long-term, stronger and more confidential, based in deep trust and mutual understanding, and he emphasized widespread public support in both countries. That is misleading. The claim overlooks the underlying complexities and skepticism in the Russia-China relationship. Underlying tensions:…

Foreign bloggers help China spread propaganda, analysis finds

Foreign bloggers who praise China rapidly gain popularity and millions of followers on Chinese social media platforms. VOA examined the facts and spoke with experts to shed light on the government’s efforts behind the phenomenon. “It is a long-standing tradition of the Chinese Communist Party to use foreigners to voice its propaganda for added credibility,” said Mareike Ohlberg, a senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund. Foreign influencers cooperate with the Chinese government, the media and third parties to create and boost content that supports government narratives, Ohlberg said. One…