CCP’s New Influence War: Turning Foreign Audiences Against Each Other
In recent years, the CCP’s Ministry of State Security has established a new, large-scale department in Shenyang. Official WeChat accounts of major universities across northeastern China have posted targeted recruitment notices for this department.
Its mission is specifically focused on overseas information and influence operations. But unlike the kind of propaganda most people imagine—simply praising China—one of its tasks is to pose online as people from different countries and different political camps, then manipulate internet users in those countries into attacking one another.
For example, during a period of heightened tensions between China and Japan, an internal report described in detail how operatives could pose as feminists on social media and encourage Western left-wing users to criticize Japanese society for not being sufficiently feminist.
This example alone shows how skilled they have become at identifying fault lines between different social and political groups and exploiting those divisions to intensify conflict.
Meanwhile, the part of the operation devoted to promoting how “good” China is is handled by a separate group.
While many people are still busy trying to identify who has taken money from the CCP, its real overseas influence operation has already evolved to this level. Many people may not even realize how they are being influenced before they end up becoming unwitting tools in someone else’s information war.
Given the current situation, assuming that only people who receive money from the CCP would help spread its propaganda seriously underestimates the sophistication of the CCP’s influence operations.
Paying someone directly carries risks—they might even record the transaction. Gradually shaping people’s thinking, emotions, and attention without them realizing it is far cheaper, safer, and potentially far more effective.
The above information comes from @lilaoshizuikeai, an account known for frequently exposing internal information about the CCP.
8/21/2026
