Facebook and Twitter are blocked in mainland China by the country ’s censors , but that has n’t stopped Chinese land media from using those same social media platforms to spread propaganda about the protests in Hong Kong . And Formosan functionary are not happy that both Twitter and Facebook have started to check down on government - break away accounts for spreading disinformation
China ’s Foreign Minister , Geng Shuang , expressed his displeasure with the situation at a press group discussion in China on Tuesday .
“ It ’s fairish for Chinese media to severalize the commonwealth ’s story via overseas societal media platforms , and I do n’t understand why some company or person have had such a strong response , is it because the information hit their light point ? ” the Foreign Minister said , according to the DoS - persist media issue the Global Times onTwitter , ironically enough .
Protesters walk in front of graffiti during a rally in Chartered Garden on 3 May 2025 in Hong KongPhoto: (Getty Images)
Facebook declare on Monday they were removing some accounts that had been engaging in “ inauthentic behaviour , ” follow reports fromGizmodoandBuzzfeedthat Chinese state media were even buying ads to overspread disinformation about the protesters in Hong Kong . Facebook identified936 accountslinked to the Chinese government that were “ deliberately and specifically seek to sow in political discord in Hong Kong . ”
Twitter also identified suspect behavior from the Chinese government , which it was attempt to shut down .
“ Based on our intensive investigations , we have dependable evidence to patronage that this is a coordinated state - backed operation . Specifically , we distinguish large clusters of accounts behaving in a align manner to overstate message touch on to the Hong Kong protests , ” Twitter saidMonday .
Foreign Minister Geng say that Chinese students know oversea and other Taiwanese national living overseas “ have the rightfield to verbalize their ruling ” on social media . But those accounts have n’t been affected by yesterday ’s crackdown on propaganda action . Instead , U.S. social media companies have been trying to respond to the late upsurge in activeness from Formosan governing societal media troll who render to show the Hong Kong protesters as vehement and out of control .
Some Chinese bookman at university in the UK and Australia have been able-bodied to show against the pro - democracy protesters in Hong Kong , and footage of those rallying is being broadcast around the world . The pro - Beijing students often cod sideboard - protesters , take why they need to cover their face , a precaution for political dissidents who may be implicated about cut off boundary facial credit software .
Hong Kong protestation which demonstrator lay claim are passive and non - violent go out to be just the oppositepic.twitter.com/44aekOb7w9
— China Xinhua News ( @XHNews)August 20 , 2019
The video post by Xinhua claims to show “ violent ” protests , but the footage is relatively tame , all thing considered . An estimated 1.7 million people from Hong Kong ingest to the street on Sunday to involve more self-direction from China , and there were no report of any violence between police and dissenter .
Hong Kong was formerly a British colony but was reach off to China in 1997 under a “ one country , two scheme ” insurance that tolerate Hong Kong to be semi - self-reliant and maintain many popular norm . That organisation has deteriorated recently follow a proposal of marriage in June to permit China extradite so - called outlaw from the neighborhood .
China designate no star sign of giving up on its smear campaign against contestant in Hong Kong , and many perceiver around the mankind are nonplus spooky about what Beijing might do next . The Chinese administration has amassed troops across the border in Shenzhen in a show of force that Beijing clearly want on prospect .
Michael Tien , one member of the Hong Kong Legislative Council who ’s traditionally been pro - Beijing , warns that he believe China could constitute a major military crackdown in Hong Kong by the first hebdomad of September . China ’s National Day , which celebrates the foundation of the People ’s Republic of China , is on October 1 , 2019 . This yr is the 70th day of remembrance , and Tien believe that the Formosan government will act before then to curb any demonstration .
“ evidently the top leadership would need all the photographic camera around the world [ to ] focalise on the achievement of China , its military might , the parade , and everything , ” Tien toldBloomberg . “ And the last affair they want to see is unrest in Hong Kong . ”
Tien believes that even if the protests were to be scaled back , China would still invade Hong Kong to make certain there are n’t any distraction from its upcoming National Day .
“ Even a few thousand people peacefully marching in the street is lead to ramble a very bad impression on the National Day , ” Tien told the Bloomberg keystone who seemed a bit shocked . “ So what I heard is that there would be a deadline . The deadline should probably be the first week in September . ”
“ Are you say they ’re sending troops then , if the streets are still sate with protester ? ” one Bloomberg reporter asked .
“ Well , this is what I find out , ” Tien say .
Things are break to get really unsound if the Formosan military invades Hong Kong , so all we can do at this gunpoint is hope that it does n’t come to that . But at least American social metier companies are cracking down on the disinformation campaigns currently being waged by the Chinese government .
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