The American struggle against China is more or less the only unifying issue between the Republican and Democratic parties today. I will try to demonstrate the way in which American society is mobilized to fight back against Chinese rule and how China engages in an ‘Infowars’ for consciousness in cyberspace. But, before we dive into this, let’s start with an open letter from United States Congressman Mike Gallagher, (R-WI), to the FREEPRESS newspaper dated Nov. 2, 2023.
Gallagher brings a wealth of expertise in geo-strategy and military service. Despite his relatively young age of 39, he is closely attuned to the millennial discourse. In his column, he addresses the crucial question of why Generation Z in America exhibits concerning opposition to Israel. This is especially noteworthy in light of the Harris/Harvard Institute survey, which reveals a substantial 51% support for Hamas among the general U.S. audience.
He dissects the significance of the Chinese tool in shaping consciousness into distinct components. The initial facet revolves around the medium’s widespread appeal, particularly among the younger demographic. The TikTok platform, extending beyond content perusal, emerges as a pivotal avenue for news consumption, surpassing other search engines. Notably, 51% of Generation Z women utilize it as their primary means of news consumption over Google.
This initial data on the platform’s popularity serves as a strategic asset for Chinese owners engaged in a consciousness battle against the West. It affords them the capability to craft the reality they desire, ensuring that users of the application are immersed in a form of engineered perception akin to brainwashing.
Independent researcher Dr. Tomer Simon delves into the complexities and diverse facets of TikTok’s operations on his Twitter account. His unwavering recommendation is crystal clear—a swift removal of the application from devices.
In June 2022, Brendan Carr, a commissioner at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), responsible for regulating communications in the U.S., raised concerns through a letter addressed to Apple CEO Tim Cook and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai. The letter highlighted reports and developments suggesting that TikTok was not adhering to the app store policies of both companies. Furthermore, investigative findings, including audio clips from numerous internal TikTok meetings, revealed that at least 14 statements from nine TikTok employees indicated that engineers affiliated with the Chinese contractor company ByteDance could potentially access non-public user data in the U.S. This revelation adds a crucial backdrop to the actions taken by the U.S. administration, legislators, and American companies in response to perceived threats to American society. In conclusion, a study by INSEAD suggests that TikTok, leveraging advanced algorithms and AI technology, aspires to be a dominant force in global influence, a goal that appears to be materializing.
However, the concerns about the implications of TikTok’s role as a tool of the Chinese Communist Party extend beyond the U.S. The French Senate, for instance, has issued a stern warning report on the “strategic” influence wielded by the Chinese government through TikTok. This comprehensive 183-page report outlines how China utilizes the application to wage cognitive warfare in foreign nations and influence Western minds.
Beyond governments, states in the U.S., government agencies and local authorities, various organizations, including major corporations like Delta Airlines, Amazon, and Wells Fargo, have mandated their employees to uninstall the TikTok application due to identified risks associated with the platform.
Additionally, there are reports suggesting that TikTok utilizes the collected data for potential surveillance, with claims even extending to suspicions of the platform spying on journalists from Forbes newspaper.
In the article authored by Doron Ella and Tal Hanig-Hadar, titled “The War of the Chinese Mind: Applying the Doctrine of the ‘Three Warfare’ in the International Arena,” they explore the Chinese consciousness campaign, grounded in the ‘Three Warfare’ doctrine. This doctrine, officially sanctioned by China’s Central Military Commission in 2003, has served as a foundational framework for Chinese operations in the realm of consciousness warfare since its approval.
The doctrine comprises three strategies that complement each other, with the primary goal of containing and ultimately diminishing the inclination of China’s adversaries to instigate and sustain political and military conflicts against its strategic interests. These strategies include:
⦁ Psychological warfare: This strategy aims to influence decision-makers and their policies toward China by disseminating information that disrupts their decision-making process and undermines their ability to act against China.
⦁ Information warfare: The objective here is to overtly and covertly manipulate foreign media, influencing public opinion both within and outside China. The goal is to convince the public of the legitimacy of China’s interests and deter rivals from taking actions contrary to these interests. This warfare extensively employs news networks, unofficial websites, and various social media platforms to shape local and international consciousness regarding conflicts involving the Chinese army.
⦁ Legal warfare: This strategy aims to shape the legal environment beyond China’s borders to support its strategic goals and justify actions in both regional-Asian and international arenas. It involves leveraging local and international legal courts, seeking decisions that align with China’s position, or challenging the legitimacy of decisions anticipated to contradict the Chinese stance.
From this, it becomes evident that the widespread use of the popular application in the hands of Western users, considering the collective insights from academic research, government assessments, and corporate analyses, signals the potent influence of the algorithmic mechanisms, illustrating the capacity to sway perceptions in the West.
This is particularly noteworthy in light of recent significant events, such as the persistent conflict in Gaza and its reverberations across the public sphere in the State of Israel.
Amidst the ongoing campaign in Gaza, the global audience witnessed the rapid and viral dissemination of hate materials against Israel, proliferating across various social networks. Notably, TikTok emerged as a significant battleground, contributing to the contamination of perspectives not just within the progressive American audience but also in shaping the attitudes of young individuals, fostering a disdain for the core values that America embodies.
Presently, the Chinese social network is actively fostering animosity among American youth towards Israel, depicting it as an oppressor. This narrative portrays local Palestinians, irrespective of their ethnicity, as victims and, intriguingly, redefines them as white and privileged. A notable instance of this narrative was the dissemination of a “Letter to America,” seeking to draw a parallel between the events of September 11th and American imperialism. In the following video, young Americans, attributing Bin Laden’s actions to his connection with Israel, assert that their lives were profoundly affected, urging immediate viewership of the letter.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDPmCC__Hq4
The initial version of the 2002 letter faced removal by The Guardian due to its exploitation in the realm of consciousness wars. Although TikTok has declared its intention to eliminate the #LETTERTOAMERICA hashtag, the repercussions have already disseminated across the platform. Considering that Generation Z predominantly receives its news from this platform, as emphasized in Galliger’s letter, an analysis from profgalloway.com reveals a staggering disparity in the capabilities to shape Western consciousness across various parameters.
The West, and Israel specifically, must gain a profound understanding of the Chinese modus operandi encapsulated in the “Three Warfare” strategy aimed at countering the West. It is crucial to recognize that China, openly expressing its intent through intermediaries, envisions active involvement in Israel’s conflicts, including the reconstruction efforts in Gaza or their desire to take an active part in Israel’s conflict with Lebanon. This situation unfolds as a strategic maneuver, where Israel, perceived as part of the Western world by China, becomes a legitimate target for potential Chinese aggression.
Recently, the New York Times reported that the governments of Russia, China, and Iran actively support the terrorist organization Hamas in the online realm. Utilizing their state media, these countries endorse the Hamas narrative and criticize Israel’s self-defense efforts following a significant tragedy, focusing on leveraging social media to turn public opinion against the State of Israel. The article asserts that Iran actively supports Hamas and the Oct. 7 massacre while aiming to destroy the State of Israel. Russia and China, through false allegations of Israeli war crimes, seek to undermine the West, particularly the U.S.
Rafi Mendelson, vice president at Cyabra, a social media intelligence company in Tel Aviv, stated to The Times that the disinformation campaign orchestrated by Russia, China, and Iran during the ongoing war is unprecedented in its scope. He emphasized its significant global impact, watched by millions, and suggested its effectiveness rivals other tactics on the ground. Cyabra has documented approximately 40,000 bots and fake accounts used to spread pro-Hamas and anti-Israel disinformation.
Drawing parallels, just as a person with a fire extinguisher appears to assist with a fire, it is crucial for the West, including Israel, to thoroughly and skeptically scrutinize any diplomatic involvement by China in the international community. This scrutiny is essential due to the potential risks associated with such assistance, which might align with goals that could be counterproductive to the interests of the West.
Dr. Kobby Barda received his Ph.D. in American Political history and International Affairs, and is a researcher of American politics, specializing in research on Grassroots lobbies groups and their influence on Israel-U.S. relations. A fellow of the Haikin Chair in Geo-Strategy, and a senior researcher at the Haifa Laboratory for Religious Studies at the University of Haifa, Israel. Host and owner of the podcast “America Baby”.