November 4, 2022 | Foreign Policy
Chinese Election Meddling Hits the Midterms
Beijing is shifting its global influence campaigns from propaganda to blatant election interference.
November 4, 2022 | Foreign Policy
Chinese Election Meddling Hits the Midterms
Beijing is shifting its global influence campaigns from propaganda to blatant election interference.
Excerpt
Having consolidated his hold on power at the Chinese Communist Party’s recently concluded 20th National Congress, Chinese leader Xi Jinping has now set his sights on influencing the U.S. midterm elections. China’s latest efforts to sow doubt about U.S. election integrity are consistent with Xi’s stated goal of championing China’s autocratic model as a “new choice for humanity.” The threat of Chinese interference in democratic elections demands immediate action by policymakers in Washington and other Western capitals.
As early voting across the United States kicked into high gear this fall, so, too, did the activities of Chinese government-affiliated cyberactors seeking to discourage Americans from voting, discredit the election process, and sow further divisions among voters.
Craig Singleton is a senior China fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and a former U.S. diplomat. Twitter: @CraigMSingleton. FDD is a Washington, DC-based nonpartisan research institute focusing on national security and foreign policy.