4 May 2020, NIICE Commentary 4468
Kannan Reghunathan Nair
In 1991, when the Unites States successfully used information technologies in the first Gulf War, it ignited the shift in the conventional ways the Chinese thought of warfare. The replacement for this conventionality was ‘Information’ (as cited in the White Paper on National Defence published by China in 2004), and it tells us about the need for an ‘information force’ to counter ‘Information warfare’. Currently, after controlling the initial spread of COVID-19, China is working on the narrative building process to recuperate its global image. In this endeavour, its Information warfare will be an important strategy.
Information warfare is the modern warfare strategy used by international actors to construct a narrative to promote their raison d’être through the spreading of fake news, building of propaganda, restricting access to information and blinding the adversary with false impressions. China previously used information as an asymmetric weapon to mutate the public opinion in Taiwan and Hong Kong, both of which are territories having their own governments, but are claimed by China.
In the current scenario, China failed to contain the initial spread of the virus in Wuhan, which led to a global pandemic. Now, Beijing keeps on working to portray China as the leading nation in its response to COVID-19, simply having censored the dissemination of Information. The aim of the Chinese disinformation campaign was precisely to highlight the drawbacks of other countries and nullifying the accusations against China itself for being the primary host for the virus. China wants to build a global leader status by responding to COVID-19, in a way that it becomes the first country offering healthcare and economic assistance to European Union member states. The Italian Prime Minister even openly stated about the European Union’s failure in carrying out a collective action against virus. Apart from the questions about the quality of healthcare produce it provides, China dominates in providing aid to affected countries across Europe. According to AFP news, about four billion masks, 16,000 ventilators, 37.5 million pieces of protective clothing and 2.84 million COVID-19 testing kits have been exported by China to more than 50 countries since March 1, 2020. But European countries like the Netherlands, Spain and the Czech Republic returned protective equipment and testing kits back to China on the grounds that they were faulty in nature.
China substantially supported various conspiracy theories virtually about the origin of the COVID-19 from the United States. The fake messages spread went viral immediately on social media throughout the United States, in the middle of March this year. This showed China’s plans to reroute Global attention away from itself, and towards its biggest adversary. The New York Times reports the secret removal of two Chinese diplomats who were suspected of spying. So, Chinese actions are being seen with a skeptical lens in the US. A report from Freedom House signifies the expansionist policies of China in the media realm, towards different countries of the west. Huge Chinese investments in media enterprises across the European and African continents from 2017 indicates the measures it has taken to broaden the scope of its propaganda overseas. The United States sanctions on the World Health Organisation (WHO) and increased investment of China in WHO, is depicting China’s ambitions to fill the void of the global leader.
While all countries are tirelessly working against the COVID-19, China is using the strategy of hybridity in its foreign policy, by providing aid and assistance to countries on one side, and using coercion to expanding its territory on the other. The Chinese government is using the infamous tactic called the ‘salami-slicing’ amidst the pandemic, by challenging the status quo in contested regions slowly and steadily. China exploits the security vacuum created by the pandemic in the South China Sea (SCS) by establishing two new districts Xisha and Nansha in the Sansha city (Woody islands). Sansha city was established by China in 2012 on the Paracel island chain, an area with claims disputed between Vietnam and China. China’s ‘Mask diplomacy’ is a set-up to divert attention from its increasing assertiveness in the SCS. Beijing even tried to prioritise aid provision to Southeast Asia to deter collective action by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) against Chinese aggression in SCS.
The popular traits defining ‘power’ are changing, as information has been added as an essential variable to address the concept of global power. Information incorporated with cyber technologies yields more impact on adversaries than lethal methodologies. According to the MIT Technology Review, the Chinese government-funded hackers are making use of COVID-19 for spying on opponents. FireEye, a leading cybersecurity firm states that Chinese hackers are sending emails to Southeast Asian countries and Taiwan with information regarding the COVID-19 attached with malware such the Sogou virus and cobalt strike. Bryan Dean Wright, an Ex-CIA employee criticised China for allowing international flights even after confirming the presence of a virus which was deadly and rapidly contagious in nature. And till now, China keeps is resisting an international probe on the origin of the virus.
China is adopting a multi-pronged approach towards positively exploiting the COVID-19 pandemic to uphold its national interests. Information as a weapon is effectively immersing among countries, with a stiff strategy. China is employing the Maoist conception of People’s war with the use of Cyber technologies and Information. Countries should develop faculties accordingly, with independent fact-checking, strong cybersecurity, firewalls and alliance mechanisms. The role of the European Union is significant in battling with China on its actions to weaken the democracies of the West. International organisations like the United Nations are needed to act immediately in containing China’s aggressive behavior in the SCS. Collective action and a global response are key to countering China’s restlessness for becoming the world leader.
