- China accuses US military of "hypocrisy" over secret campaign to discredit Chinese vaccines.
- US military used fake accounts to spread propaganda and undermine confidence in Chinese vaccines.
- China says US actions violate human rights and expose US hypocrisy.
- Incident highlights US-China tensions and competing narratives on the pandemic.
The Chinese Embassy in the Philippines has accused the US military of “hypocrisy, malign intention, and double standards” in response to a report of a secret US campaign to discredit Chinese vaccines and aid during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The embassy’s spokesperson made the remarks in response to a Reuters investigative report that revealed the US military launched a clandestine program to undermine confidence in China’s Sinovac vaccines in the Philippines.
The report found that the US military aimed to sow doubt about the safety and efficacy of Chinese vaccines and aid, using phony internet accounts impersonating Filipinos to spread propaganda. The embassy spokesperson condemned the US military’s actions, stating that they “lay bare the hypocrisy, malign intention, and double standards of the United States.”
The spokesperson added that while the US talks about respecting human rights, its actions violate the fundamental human rights of life and health of the Filipino people. The US Embassy in Manila referred a request for comment to the Department of Defense, which acknowledged the secret propaganda campaign but declined to provide details.
A Pentagon spokeswoman stated that the US military uses various platforms, including social media, to counter “malign influence attacks” aimed at the US, allies, and partners. She also accused China of starting a “disinformation campaign” to blame the US for the spread of COVID-19.
The Chinese Embassy’s spokesperson emphasized that people around the world are indignant about the US military’s actions, which undermine global efforts to combat the pandemic. The incident highlights the ongoing tensions between the US and China, with both countries vying for influence in the region and promoting their own narratives about the pandemic.
