Infographic: Chinese State Influence - Tariffs to Tension

Understanding Online Influence Operations

Graphika's latest insights reveal how Chinese state influence actors and affiliated communities strategically shape online narratives to advance Beijing’s geopolitical interests. Between February and March 2025, these actors have actively pushed messages aimed at undermining U.S. trade policies, exacerbating diplomatic tensions, and positioning China as a stronger global partner.

Key Findings:

• Targeting U.S. Trade Tariffs: Pro-China actors have amplified criticism of increased U.S. tariffs on China, claiming they are unjustified and will harm American workers. Some narratives accuse the U.S. of using the fentanyl crisis as a pretext for economic aggression.
• Manipulating Diplomatic Relations: Chinese influence campaigns have sought to highlight tensions between the U.S. and European allies, suggesting that Washington is "breaking up" with the EU and positioning China as a more reliable diplomatic partner.
• Leveraging Western Voices: State-aligned actors have selectively amplified statements from Western economists and politicians, often out of context, to depict China as a success story and downplay U.S. economic policies.

Why This Matters

Chinese state influence operations present challenges for policymakers, businesses, and organizations navigating an evolving digital landscape. These campaigns use narratives across platforms to shape public perception, posing risks to decision-making and reputational integrity.

Leveraging social media intelligence is critical to detecting and countering these influence efforts. Understanding these tactics enables stakeholders to mitigate risks, and safeguard strategic interests.

Explore the visualization below, detailing how state-aligned actors disseminate narratives across platforms. See how these narratives evolve and spread to influence global audiences.