U.S. intelligence agencies highlighted this week that Russia, Iran and China remain the main external forces trying to influence American voters ahead of November’s presidential election.
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence said the Kremlin was the most active actor, using artificial intelligence, fake accounts and fabricated images to promote rhetoric favorable to Donald Trump’s candidacy.
On the other hand, China did not seek to directly influence the outcome of the 2024 presidential election. Sarah Cookan independent analyst specializing in disinformation, notes that this restraint stems in part from a strong bipartisan consensus in Washington regarding the threat posed by China’s authoritarian government.
With less than 40 days until the US election, what narratives is China promoting on social media, and how could these affect US voters?
Amplifying polarization
A joint investigation by Voice of America and Doublethink Lab, a Taiwanese social media analytics company, tracks 201 China-related accounts on social media platform controversial domestic issues in the United States. , aimed at deepening societal polarization and sowing distrust.
Through authentic, AI-generated images and videos, Chinese agents are intensifying divisive social issues, including LGBTQ+ rights, abortion, immigration, race, gun control, and rates of crime.
One prominent account, CongCong, frequently posts messages that are then shared by others, describing herself as “a sweet and salty little girl who takes life seriously and shares positive energy.”
However, his messages are far from positive. One pinned post features a provocative image of a gun pointed at Gaza, captioned with allegations of genocide, portraying Israel as the shooter, the US as the weapon and the EU as the silencer.
The message was amplified by 40 accounts in the network of China-related accounts that VOA tracks.
Another so-called “seeder” account, Little Sister Muxi, shared a comparison chart highlighting the burdens Americans face, such as student loans and health care costs, versus the benefits Israelis enjoy.
The Israel-Gaza conflict has become an extremely polarizing issue in the United States. Some Americans support Israel’s right to self-defense, while others express deep dissatisfaction with what they see as excessive violence.
Recently, the network sought to amplify discussion around Intel’s announcement of a 15% workforce reduction, with seeder account CongCong claiming: “This is the decline of the United States, a recession created by United States itself.” This post was shared by 36 accounts.
Other examples include sharing caricatures of the Chinese state corporation World Time who mock US financial support for Ukraine.
The AI-generated images depict homeless Americans, implying that American citizens are being neglected while the government spends billions on conflicts abroad.
Fake videos depicting the U.S. drug epidemic are also common, pushed by the Spamouflage network — a much larger state-sponsored operation aimed at propping up the Chinese government while undermining its critics.
This approach mirrors the tactics Russia used in the 2016 US election, using information warfare to break Western alliances and deepen societal divisions.
MAGAflage
Our investigation uncovered two “MAGAFlage” networks, made up of a total of 25 accounts posing as supporters of Republican candidate Trump, seeking to engage with real American voters.
A network, called MAGAflage 1 and consisting of 10 accounts, began sharing pro-Trump content widely after a July 13 assassination attempt. Using stolen biographies and sourced photos, these accounts focused on pro-Chinese content and polarized American issues while promoting Trump as America’s savior. After VOA’s report, X suspended these accounts for “violating X’s rules.”
While the MAGAflage 1 network seeder account aggressively posts pro-China content and frequently cites state media, the MAGAflage 2 seeder account takes a more cautious approach. With a few exceptions, this person rarely posts on topics directly related to China and stays closer to topics related to the US elections.
All accounts use emojis in their usernames. Twelve of the 15 accounts use the American flag as an emoticon.
They criticize the Biden administration’s immigration policies, promote conspiracy theories and claim former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is responsible for the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol.
“These accounts are notable because they largely claim to be U.S. citizens and attempt to hide their connection to China,” Jasper Hewitt, digital intelligence analyst at Doublethink Lab, told VOA Mandarin.
Notably, these accounts do not promote anti-Israel content that other trolls frequently share. Trump recently introduced himself as The “protector” of Israel warning Jewish voters not to support Vice President Kamala Harris.
“I think it shows that the people behind these operations have a good understanding of the type of content that might resonate with the users they’re trying to interact with,” Hewitt added.
Meanwhile, researchers continue to uncover accounts attacking candidates from both parties. Microsoft recently reported that a China-linked threat actor, Storm-1852, has engaged in election-related content on social media, emphasizing a highly interactive approach that includes republishing content, responding to user comments and surveys.
This network does not appear to favor any particular candidate.
“It is true that most of the Spamouflage content we have seen so far expresses criticism of both candidates. However, the fact that we found two MAGAflage networks and have yet to encounter similar accounts supporting Harris is still very relevant,” added Doublethink Lab’s Hewitt.
Local candidates
In their latest assessment, U.S. intelligence officials said most Chinese efforts were not aimed at Trump or Harris, but at national and local candidates perceived as hostile to Beijing.
Our investigation identified a TikTok video criticizing Republican U.S. Senator Josh Hawley, mocking his persistent questions of Intel executives about forced labor in Xinjiang and calling him an “anti-China senator.” Hawley is up for re-election this year.
Another video ridicules Democratic U.S. Rep. Jerry Nadler of New York, suggesting he appeared to doze off during a hearing while victims’ families testified.
Along with the presidential election, all 435 House seats and 33 Senate seats will be up for grabs this year. Lawmakers critical of China risk becoming targets of online influence campaigns.
These include members of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, or CECC. Its chairman, Massachusetts Representative Jim McGovern, has openly denounced human rights abuses in China and was barred from entering China last July.
New Jersey Republican Rep. Chris Smith, co-chair of the committee, has long focused on human rights and religious freedom in China.
In the Senate, Ohio Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown is seeking re-election this year and has been attacked by Chinese state media for advocating a ban on Chinese-made electric vehicles.