As New York Times media columnist Ben Smith makes clear in this story today, China is attempting to persuade the world that American values are not universal values and that American messages about freedom of speech and the right to elect one’s government are corrupt. Further, the projection of these values is merely intended to conceal the hard edge of American military intervention around the world. Smith’s story is based largely on a report coming tomorrow from the International Federation of Journalists. Details on the event tomorrow Tuesday May 11 can be seen here.
In a nutshell, the report shows that the Chinese are engaged in virtually every country in the world in attempting to tilt the coverage of news organizations in those countries toward greater support for China. China is also, of course, trying to project Xi Jinping’s message through its own national media organizations such as China Global Televison Network. Americans simply cannot take it for granted that the world will accept the values we hold dear. It is a global contest on a scale that would have been unimaginable just a few years ago. Soft power, at the end of the day, carries hard power.
