Information laundering. Russian propaganda returns as news from China

illustration: DALL-E

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Her study is titled "Russian Voice Behind the Great Wall: Russian-Chinese Cooperation on the Example of Narratives Regarding Poland". Propaganda moves from Russia to Asian outlets before reaching European audiences as objective news from Beijing.

Average Polish readers place greater trust in Chinese sources than in direct messaging from Moscow. Because China is not engaged in open military aggression against Poland, citizens rarely perceive an immediate security threat. Russian manipulators strategically exploit this weakness to spread harmful statements through Asian internet platforms. Over an eight-month period, NASK analysts monitored more than 25 Chinese channels, detecting 966 items that matched Russian disinformation content.

Online platform	Number of detected materials
Weibo	523
Sina	255
Other services	188

Patrycja Krzyśpiak, author of the report "Russian Voice Behind the Great Wall: Russian-Chinese Cooperation on the Example of Narratives Regarding Poland", points out that Asian newsrooms systematically publish harmful material. Researchers identified several recurring themes that weaken Poland`s international standing and undermine Western unity.

• They depict Poland as an aggressive nation seeking military confrontation.
• They place full responsibility on NATO for triggering conflicts in Europe.
• They describe the European Union as politically and socially unstable.
• They spread false historical narratives that blame Poland for starting World War II.

In her publication "Russian Voice Behind the Great Wall: Russian-Chinese Cooperation on the Example of Narratives Regarding Poland", expert Patrycja Krzyśpiak observes that Asian portals also publish contradictory messages. For example, they portray Poland simultaneously as a defender of civilization and as an isolated, backward country. This deliberate tactic creates chaotic information noise, fuels anxiety, and confuses readers across Europe.

Beijing and Moscow seek to weaken the West

Although both nations pursue distinct tactical goals on specific issues, their strategic aims remain fully aligned. In her report "Russian Voice Behind the Great Wall: Russian-Chinese Cooperation on the Example of Narratives Regarding Poland", Patrycja Krzyśpiak provides examples of joint efforts to undermine the international order established by the United States and the European Union. Moscow and Beijing promote a vision of a new world order where they present themselves as peacekeepers.

The Propaganda Department of the Chinese Central Committee tightly controls the domestic digital environment. No political posts circulate on social media without quiet approval from party leaders in Beijing. Chinese authorities consciously permit Russian state media to operate under official information agreements. When Polish diplomats lodge formal protests, Asian officials claim the posts originate from private accounts.

Authoritarian security services deploy sophisticated cognitive operations to erode public trust in state institutions. Independent studies show that European perceptions of China have improved recently, despite ongoing human rights concerns. This shift in public sentiment stems from calculated online campaigns designed to weaken liberal democracies.

In the report "Russian Voice Behind the Great Wall: Russian-Chinese Cooperation on the Example of Narratives Regarding Poland", researcher Patrycja Krzyśpiak stresses that long-term information operations cause a continuous decline in public confidence. Citizens require greater awareness to distinguish coordinated propaganda from general misinformation and defend democratic systems effectively.

source: PAP naukawpolsce.pl