Week in, week out, Chinese messaging continues to accuse democracies of destabilizing the world while portraying China's initiatives as the best path toward a fairer alternative. Beijing-linked Twitter accounts commemorated NATO’s accidental bombing of the Chinese Embassy in Serbia in 1999. The consul in Barcelona deplored the death of Chinese citizens in the incident, and the ambassador in Serbia praised the “steely friendship” between China and Serbia.

#Balloongate shows that Chinese messaging still has a ways to go to set the tone of global conversations, even on stories convcerning China directly. It also provides yet another example of Sino-Russian convergence in the information space. Significance of #balloongate took authorities by surprise. #ChineseFM's statement deploring US overreaction only came on Sunday and spokesperson still seemed thrown off by questions at today's press conference.