Published 14:03 IST, June 23rd 2020
China's 'foreign mission' media China Daily dubs US as Pinocchio; told to leave Twitter
Amid tensions between China and the US, China's propagandist newspaper China Daily put out a cartoon against the US alleging that it was 'feeding conspiracies'
Amid tensions between China and the US, China's propagandist 'Foreign Mission' newspaper China Daily put out a cartoon against the US alleging that it was 'feeding conspiracies' to the world. China Daily, which has been designated by the US State Department as 'a foreign mission media', confirming its role of spreading state propaganda, in turn, hit out at the US with a caricature of the White House, manufacturing 'Pinocchios' symbolising 'lies.' The Pinocchio being manufactured out of White House were shown carrying anti-China messages and words like 'lab', 'flu' and 'virus', 'feeding conspiracies' to the world.
It is important to mention that the US has been one of the first countries to question China's role in covering the deadly Coronavirus pandemic. US President Donald Trump has often dubbed the Coronavirus as 'China virus' or 'Kung fu virus' cornering the country and alleging that the virus is a man-made disease that China manufactured at a virology laboratory in Wuhan.
Netizens react
USA lists four Chinese publications as 'foreign missions'
The US State Department declared China Central Television, China News Service, the People’s Daily, and the Global Times as 'foreign missions'. This comes as the US is trying to put more pressure on China or its aggressive expansionist moves, human rights violations, stifling free speech, and so on.
US State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus issued a statement "recognizing PRC propaganda outlets." US State Secretary Mike Pompeo announced the four "foreign missions". As per the statement, "foreign mission" refers means that they are “substantially owned or effectively controlled” by a foreign government, and in this case, China. Earlier this year, USA had listed Xinhua News Agency, China Global Television Network, China Radio International, China Daily Distribution Corporation, and Hai Tian Development USA as 'foreign missions'.
Updated 14:03 IST, June 23rd 2020