Since the early 2000s, China has systematically built a comprehensive infrastructure to shape global media narratives according to its geopolitical interests, according to French television network TV5MONDE’s fact-checking program “A vrai dire.” Senior journalist Mylène Girardeau explains that while Russia is often cited as the typical example of foreign interference through disinformation, China operates with far greater subtlety and sophistication.
Beijing’s strategy operates through multiple channels. First, it institutionalizes media relationships through bilateral agreements that mandate exchanges between state-owned media outlets, ostensibly to promote mutually beneficial information sharing. China also invites foreign journalists for “training” programs designed more to inspire admiration than impart actual skills. Additionally, three major Chinese state media organizations—Xinhua News Agency, China Radio International, and CGTN—have established offices worldwide. Unlike Western counterparts such as AFP or BBC, these outlets remain under direct Communist Party control, receiving daily guidelines on what to cover and which topics to avoid.
A particularly effective tactic involves providing free content to media outlets globally. Xinhua distributes 15,000 news items daily in eleven languages at no cost to newsrooms facing financial pressures. In February 2022, Beijing launched the All Media Service Platform offering ready-made content in seventy languages for free. Beyond free distribution, China pays news agencies like Reuters and Associated Press to include Chinese state television content in their feeds. In January 2026, over one-fifth of videos available through Reuters to TV5MONDE subscribers came from Chinese state television.
Geopolitics scholar Selma Mihoubi notes that China crafts different narratives for different regions, promoting pro-Russian positions in Africa while exercising more caution in Western markets. The strategy proves especially effective in regions underserved by Western media, where local journalists lacking resources readily adopt freely available Chinese content, often without recognizing its propagandistic nature. Though calculating exact costs proves difficult, experts estimate this influence operation requires billions of dollars annually.
Source: Radio France International, February 11, 2026
https://rfi.my/CR2g