The accts signal a potential tactical shift in how #China aims to #influence American #politics, w/more of a willingness to target specific candidates & parties, including Biden.
In an echo of #Russia’s #influence campaign, #China appears to be trying to harness #partisan#divisions to undermine the #Biden admin’s policies, despite recent efforts by the 2 countries to lower the temperature in their relations.
Some of the #Chinese accounts impersonate fervent #Trump fans, including one [still allowed] on #X that purported to be “a father, husband & son” who was “#MAGA all the way!!”
…researchers linked the new activity to a long-running network of accts connected w/ #China’s govt known as #Spamouflage. Several of the accts…previously posted pro-Beijing content in Mandarin— only to recently resurface under the guise of #Americans writing in English.
In a separate proj, the Foundation for #Defense of #Democracies …ID’ed 170 fake pgs & accts on #Facebook that have also pushed anti-American msgs, incl’g pointed attacks on #Biden.
they clearly see Biden as a threat, not [#Trump]