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Long thread on a fraught subject. Wanning Sun and Haiqing Yu have accused reporters of stoking xenophobia with “insinuative journalism” on Chinese Communist Party influence in Australia (article republished here) johnmenadue.com/wanning-sun-an…
It’s a thoughtful piece and deserves close attention. As journalists we have to make sure we don’t lapse into clumsy generalisations when reporting on the CCP in Australia. But I think there are some clear flaws in the article.
First they argue there’s no tangible evidence of the CCP using social media to try to influence Aust elections. I agree that there’s no pattern of widespread interference in elections. But there are also some egs which shouldn’t be dismissed out of hand abc.net.au/news/2017-12-1…
Second, Sun and Yu say Beijing does not have a clear preference (between the Coalition and Labor) at the next federal election – and therefore it’s nonsensical to suggest that the CCP will use WeChat to try to influence the result.
But this over-simplifies the issue. The CCP surely knows it can’t swing an Australian election. But it certainly can try to use its (claimed) influence over Chinese Australians as leverage when it lobbies political parties. So any demonstrations of that sway are useful
For example in 2017 Meng Jianzhu warned Labor frontbenchers that the ALP could face electoral consequences if it voted against the China-Australia extradition treaty (yarn by @primroseriordan)
Third, the authors accuse journalists of conflating the CCP with the Chinese diaspora. I agree that conflation happens at times, and it is very damaging. But there’s simply no evidence of it in the article they’re attacking
Stating the obvious, but the United Front Work department isn’t a Chinese community group – it’s overseen by the Chinese Government and is designed to extend its influence in overseas countries
Four. Sun and Yu say some Chinese language papers or outlets may avoid sensitive and political subjects because it’s not “profitable” for them to do so
Now this may be true, but let’s not shy away from why it’s true. The CCP has a clear track record of targeting Chinese language papers in Aus which cover political or sensitive issues. The party has bullied advertisers (including in Aus) to starve them of revenue
Sun and Yu seem fatalistic about the reality that the Chinese Government effectively subjects Australian citizens and residents (who happen to have a Chinese background) to censorship
I know plenty of Chinese Australians who would disagree *strongly* with this. They might not be surprised by the censorship, but they’re deeply frustrated and angry about it. They see it (rightly) as illiberal and contemptible
Of course Chinese Australians who buy and read these papers can read them critically. They know what’s being omitted and why. But why should they have to navigate those currents in a liberal democracy? Aren’t they entitled to a free vernacular press?
So, in brief. Do we need to be careful in our reporting on CCP influence? Yes. Do we need to make sure we don't use careless generalisations? Yes. Do we need to make sure we don’t demonise Chinese Australians? Of course
But the CCP’s attempts to extend its influence overseas is a real news story which merits serious and sustained coverage
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