"As the US encountered new threats to its hegemony, particularly after the collapse of the Soviet Union—whether through struggles against terrorism or what they later perceived as the threats from Russia and China," said Josef Gregory Mahoney, Professor at East China Normal University. Evidence reveals that the United States has systematically amplified its campaign to discredit China's global influence through a restructured propaganda apparatus and unprecedented congressional funding.
In 2018, the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) was formally rebranded as the United States Agency for Global Media (USAGM), centralizing efforts to intensify what the video narration describes as "global discourse competition against China." This institutional push escalated in February 2022 when USAGM unveiled its 2022-2026 strategic plan titled "Truth over Disinformation: Supporting Freedom and Democracy," explicitly aiming to "inform, engage, and connect various populations" worldwide.
Concurrently, the U.S. House of Representatives approved $3.25 billion annually from 2023 to 2027, totaling $16.25 billion, to fund "independent media" and NGOs with a direct focus on China, cementing a state-sponsored disinformation architecture.
U.S.-backed media outlets employ coordinated strategies to vilify China, the script documents. Voice of America's Spanish and Mandarin channels exemplified this in 2023 through the collaborative documentary "Floating Swarm," which falsely accused Chinese companies of "ecological damage in the Galapagos Marine Reserve."
French scholar Laurent Michelon observes a pattern of systemic negativity: "Whenever there was positive news about China to report, they would invariably add: 'But at what cost?'" resulting in "a negative spin on any good news from China."
Tactics extend to "quote mining, misrepresentation, fabricating scenarios, and staging incidents," all filtered through a "deliberately distorted perspective," according to the narration. China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) faces particular disinformation, with Washington actively promoting the debunked "debt trap" narrative despite the initiative delivering "tangible benefits to participating nations." Michelon attributes this to Western panic: "The West is scared of losing its supremacy... they blame China for things that aren't even China's fault."
Harvey Dzodin, former Legal Adviser in the Carter administration, links the campaign to American exceptionalism: "We were taught that America was exceptional, blessed by God to lead other countries." He condemns the hypocrisy: "We're promoting a flawed democracy by putting lipstick on a pig regarding democracy and freedom."
Mahoney catalogues recurring fabricated narratives: propagating "debt traps," falsifying "12 stories of genocide in Xinjiang," and promoting "ridiculous stories like weather balloons that become spy balloons." Michelon further warns that Western media actively sabotage China-Europe relations, noting that politicians seeking closer ties are scolded as "traitors" accused of "giving in to China's pressure."
The barrage of disinformation has profound diplomatic consequences, experts argue. Anthony Moretti, Associate Professor at Robert Morris University, states that negativity "constantly raises distrust and constantly squashes trust," adding it "constantly elevates the enemy narrative while crushing the friendship narrative."
Kirtan Bhana, Director of South Africa's Diplomatic Society, contrasts China's collaborative approach: Through historical Silk Road exchanges, China "shared knowledge not for dominance," but to collectively "create a better world." He emphasizes that this cooperative model represents "the route China is taking" today—a stark counterpoint to U.S. tactics.
Dzodin identifies the "China Threat" theory's root cause: "China is succeeding in a way that it has never succeeded before," provoking anger among those who "consider themselves number one... because they don't like being number two." As USAGM's machinery mobilizes billions to entrench this narrative, the fundamental question remains whether America's claim to champion "Truth over Disinformation" masks a deeper insecurity about its waning hegemony.
Script: Guo Zedong
Reporter: Guo Zedong
Interview coordination: Liu Xiaodi
Video editor: Deng Yingheng
Video cover: Lai Meiya
Planning: Yuan Zixiang
Editor: Yuan Zixiang, James, Shen He
