Data from the US Defence Department has revealed that the Pentagon did not deny being involved in a covert operation aimed at discrediting Chinese Covid-19 vaccines.
The Pentagon mentioned that this action was taken to counter the “malign influence campaigns” initiated by Beijing. The campaign, which began in the spring of 2020, targeted the quality of Chinese face masks, test kits, and the Sinovac vaccine.
However, the effort was terminated in mid-2021 during President Joe Biden’s administration, leading to tensions between the US and China regarding pandemic cooperation.
Sinovac promptly responded to the allegations, labeling the Pentagon campaign as a “wrong attack that will create enormous disaster.” The Defence Department affirmed that it employs various platforms, including social media, to counter disinformation campaigns targeting the US and its allies.
The National Defense Strategy released by James Mattis in 2018 referenced China’s influence operations, highlighting the country’s efforts to displace the US military in the Indo-Pacific region. Furthermore, the strategy warned of China’s ambitions for regional hegemony and global pre-eminence through military modernization measures.