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China tensions soar as Beijing harnesses AI and 'guerrilla influencers' in propaganda war
International desk
21 May 2024, 19:12
Photo: Youtube/ CCTV Video News Agency
Chinese state media have reportedly been trying to reshape global opinion of the country by producing AI-generated propaganda.
China is escalating its propaganda campaign, using advanced AI and so-called "guerrilla influencers" to reshape global perceptions and challenge Western narratives.
Over the past month, China Global Television Network (CGTN), the international arm of China Central Television, has launched a series of AI-generated videos called "Fractured America", according to City AM. These videos highlight issues such as class divides, labour disputes, and the military-industrial complex in the United States.
This effort is part of a broader strategy under President Xi Jinping’s directive to "tell China’s story well".
As Beijing seeks to expand its influence in the Global South and counter what it sees as increasing hostility from the US, Chinese media is under pressure to promote China’s message more effectively. The goal is to showcase China not only as an economic powerhouse but also as a cultural and geopolitical leader.
A significant part of this strategy involves contrasting China's successes with the perceived failures of the US. "Fractured America" and similar content portray the US as divided and unstable, with defence companies profiting from global conflicts and politicians failing their constituents.
For instance, Xinhua, China’s official news agency, recently released an AI-generated song mocking the US's national debt, featuring a cartoonish depiction of Uncle Sam. The song claims that "Though debts are scary and solutions unfound, with dollars in hand we can dance around.”
These AI-driven efforts are designed to exploit real concerns within American society, potentially deepening internal divisions.
The generative AI boom offers China the ability to create better visuals, more natural language, and smarter ways to engage foreign audiences. This content spreads across platforms like YouTube, Facebook, and X, amplifying China’s reach. Beyond state media, a network of "guerrilla influencers" has also emerged, producing pro-China and anti-US content.
Reports from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute and research firm Graphika also found that coordinated campaigns are using deepfake news anchors and other sophisticated techniques to push Beijing’s narratives.
Source: Express
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US Presidential Election: Trump Set for a Big Win
The United States stands on the brink of a new chapter in its history, as American citizens cast their votes to elect their 47th president. Voting has already concluded in several states, and the counting has begun. Polls in a few other states will close within a few hours.
According to the data available so far, Republican candidate Donald Trump is leading by a significant margin over Democratic candidate Kamala Harris. Contrary to the predictions of a close race suggested by opinion polls, reality shows a different picture. The initial vote counts indicate that Democrats have lost substantial support, primarily due to policies of the Biden administration.
As of 8 AM Bangladesh time on Wednesday, Kamala trails significantly in the crucial Electoral College votes needed to secure the presidency. Trump, on the other hand, is well on his way to the White House, having secured more than half the required path. With 270 electoral votes needed to win, Trump has already garnered 210, while Harris has received only 113, according to CNN.
Voting took place continuously from morning to evening on Tuesday, November 5, local time, across all 50 states. Due to time zone differences, voting times vary across states, with Indiana and Kentucky finishing first, both showing strong support for Trump.
Voting began at 7 AM in Los Angeles, California, at the YMCA center on Oxford and Third Street, where a majority of voters are of Bangladeshi and South Asian descent. Voters lined up well in advance, and the lines grew longer as the day progressed. Many voters noted they had never seen such a turnout before, and despite the wait, they expressed no discomfort.
American media outlets are announcing results state by state as the final stages of voting conclude and results gradually emerge. Although election officials previously hinted that this year’s results might be delayed, it appears that, while formal results may take time, the winner could be clear much sooner.
U.S. Presidential Election: Global Stock Market Surge
The forecast of the results of the U.S. presidential election has led to a surge in stock markets worldwide. On Wednesday morning, benchmark share indices in Japan and Australia were trending upward. Meanwhile, as investors closely monitored the U.S. election results, the value of the U.S. dollar also rose against major currencies.
The outcome of this election is expected to have a significant impact on the global economy, especially in Asia. It remains uncertain whether the results will be known during the trading hours in Asia, as the vote count in the swing states could take some time.
In the U.S. presidential election, voting has already concluded in over 40 of the country’s 50 states. Forecasts of the results are gradually beginning to emerge. However, the wait for results from some states could be extended further.
So far, in the early results, Donald Trump is leading. His Republican Party has approximately secured 210 electoral votes. Meanwhile, Democratic candidate Kamala Harris has won 113 electoral votes. A total of 270 electoral votes is required to win the election.
Trump is currently ahead based on the results from his stronghold states. The results from the battleground states are still unknown.
Donald Trump is set to win in states such as Texas, South Dakota, North Dakota, Wyoming, Arkansas, and South Carolina. Kamala Harris is winning in states like Delaware and Rhode Island.
According to BBC, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Georgia, Minnesota, North Carolina, Arizona, and Nevada are witnessing fierce competition between the two candidates, with very narrow vote margins in these states.
Trump Wins North Carolina; Harris' Path to Victory Narrows
Republican Donald Trump defeated Democrat Kamala Harris in the battleground state of North Carolina in Tuesday's U.S. presidential election, Edison Research projected, moving him one step closer to completing an improbable political comeback.
The outcome remained uncertain in six other states expected to determine the winner.
But Trump was showing strength across broad swaths of the country. He had won 227 Electoral College votes to Harris' 165 as of 11:30 p.m. ET (0430 GMT on Wednesday). A candidate needs a total of at least 270 votes in the state-by-state Electoral College to claim the presidency.
Decision Desk HQ projected Trump would also win Georgia, narrowing her path to victory through the Rust Belt trio of Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, though she was behind in all three states.
Trump picked up more support from Hispanics, traditionally Democratic voters, and among lower-income households that have keenly felt the sting of price rises since the last presidential election in 2020, according to exit polls from Edison.
Trump won 45% of Hispanic voters nationwide, trailing Harris with 53% but up 13 percentage points from 2020.
Voters whose top issue was the economy voted overwhelmingly for Trump, especially if they felt they were worse off financially than they were four years ago.
About 31% of voters said the economy was their top issue, and they voted for Trump by a 79%-to-20% margin, according to exit polls. Some 45% of voters across the country said their family's financial situation was worse off today than four years ago, and they favored Trump 80% to 17% for Harris.
Trump Needs 4 More Electoral Votes to Win Presidency
Based on CNN’s current projections, Vice President Kamala Harris’ path to victory is shrinking.
Former President Donald Trump has 266 electoral votes and Harris has 188 electoral votes, CNN projects. That means Trump only needs to win four more electoral votes to win the presidency.
CNN has projected that Trump will win several key battleground states — including North Carolina, Georgia, and more pivotally, Pennsylvania.
Trump’s Victory Speech: ‘God Saved My Life for a Reason’
Donald Trump is set to take the White House for a second time. Although the official announcement of his position as the 47th President of the United States is yet to come, Trump has already declared himself the winner. On Wednesday, November 6, he delivered a victory speech, mentioning Pennsylvania, where he won in a landslide. He remarked, "God saved me for a reason."
Following his landslide victory over Democratic candidate Kamala Harris in the November 5 election, Trump addressed his supporters at the Palm Beach Convention Center in Florida on Wednesday.
In his speech, Trump said, "God saved me for a reason, and that reason is to save our country and rebuild America as the ‘Great America’ it once was. Together, we are now embarking on that mission. We will accomplish it." He reiterated this determination.
He continued, "The path ahead is not easy, but I will fulfill my duties with every ounce of strength, enthusiasm, and goodwill I possess."
The newly elected President also pledged to mend the divisions among the American people. He said, "It is time to heal the rifts that have emerged among us over the past four years. This is a moment for unity, and we will strive to bring America back to being ‘Great America’ once again."
Earlier, Trump had stated that if he won in Pennsylvania, one of the key swing states, he would become the President of the United States. With 19 electoral votes, Trump secured victory in Pennsylvania.
Several months ago, during an election rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, Trump faced an assassination attempt. A gunman fired at him from a distance, and Trump narrowly survived, with a bullet grazing his ear. The Secret Service neutralized the attacker.
Since then, Trump has faced another attack, underscoring the challenges surrounding his journey back to the presidency.
World Leaders Congratulate Donald Trump amid Global Crises
World leaders congratulated Donald Trump on Wednesday for his victory in the US presidential election. Many leaders, including India's Narendra Modi and Hungary's Viktor Orban hailed Trump's unprecedented return to political power, while others offered more cautious congratulations.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte expressed hope that they could work constructively with the future Trump administration. Some leaders from various conflict regions from the Middle East to Europe also emphasized the role Washington will play in global security going forward.
Differing reactions from Russia and Ukraine
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was quick to congratulate Trump on "his impressive election victory." "I recall our great meeting with President Trump back in September, when we discussed in detail the Ukraine-US strategic partnership, the Victory Plan, and ways to put an end to Russian aggression against Ukraine," Zelenskyy said on social media.
"I appreciate President Trump's commitment to the 'peace through strength;' approach in global affairs. This is exactly the principle that can practically bring just peace in Ukraine closer. I am hopeful that we will put it into action together."
However, Zelenskyy added: "We rely on continued strong bipartisan support for Ukraine in the United States."
In Russia, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told journalists he was unaware of any plans by President Vladimir Putin to congratulate Trump since the US is an "unfriendly country." "We will draw conclusions based on concrete steps and concrete words," Peskov said.
This comes despite accusations that Russia attempted to influence the US election in favor of Trump, and Trump's open admiration for Putin. Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, who is now a senior defense official in the Kremlin, offered a more detailed reaction.
"Trump has one useful quality for us: as a businessman to the core, he mortally dislikes spending money on various hangers-on and stupid hanger-on allies, on bad charity projects and on voracious international organizations," he wrote on Telegram.
Middle Eastern leaders hope for stability
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was among the first leaders to congratulate the incoming US president with a message arriving before Trump had met the electoral vote threshold to be declared the election's winner.
"Your historic return to the White House offers a new beginning for America and a powerful re-commitment to the great alliance between Israel and America," Netanyahu wrote on social media. The Israeli prime minister said he offered his message "in true friendship." The US is Israel's closest ally and largest military backer.
Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani also congratulated Trump and said he looked forward to "working together again... in promoting security and stability both in the region and globally."
The Gulf monarchy has been a key mediator in talks between the US, Israel and militant group Hamas regarding the war in Gaza. Qatar also hosts the largest US military base in the Middle East.
Elsewhere in the region, Jordan's King Abdullah II and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi expressed hope that Washington could help achieve peace in the region. "I wish him all the success... and I look forward to reaching peace together, upholding regional stability and strengthening the strategic partnership between Egypt and the United States and their friendly peoples," he said on social media.
Europe's leaders aim to work constructively with Trump
Many European leaders congratulated Trump but emphasized the need to work constructively together. "Germany and the US have for a long time successfully worked together to promote prosperity and freedom on both sides of the Atlantic. We will continue to do so for the benefit of our citizens," German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on social media.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he "looked forward" to working with Trump. "As the closest of allies, we stand shoulder to shoulder in defense of our shared values of freedom, democracy and enterprise," he said.
French President Emmanuel Macron also congratulated Trump but also proposed that the 27 members of the European Union coordinate a European strategy in the wake of the US election result.
"Ready to work together just as we knew how to do during four years. With your convictions and with mine. With respect and ambition. For more peace and prosperity," the French president said on social media.
EU chief Ursula von der Leyen also "warmly congratulated" Trump on his election victory. "The EU and the US are more than just allies. We are bound by a true partnership between our people, uniting 800 million citizens," von der Leyen said. "Let's work together on a strong transatlantic agenda that keeps delivering for them."
Meanwhile, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte expressed hope for a productive partnership after Trump accused other members of the defense alliance of not paying their fair share. "His leadership will again be key to keeping our alliance strong. I look forward to working with him again to advance peace through strength through NATO."
One of the warmest responses in Europe came from Hungary's right-wing Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who congratulated Trump on "the biggest comeback in US history." "A much needed victory for the world!" Orban said on social media.
Modi congratulates 'friend,' Erdogan declares 'new era'
India's Hindu nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered his "heartiest congratulations" to Trump, whom he described as a friend. "As you build on the successes of your previous term, I look forward to renewing our collaboration to further strengthen the India-US Comprehensive Global and Strategic Partnership," Modi said.
"Together, let's work for the betterment of our people and to promote global peace, stability and prosperity." The two right-wing leaders enjoy warm relations, with Modi hosting Trump at a major political rally in his home state of Gujarat in 2020.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan congratulated Trump on his win "after a big fight in the presidential elections." He specifically pointed to the role Washington could play in the wars in Gaza and Ukraine.
"In this new era that will start with the choice of the American people, I hope for Turkish-American ties to strengthen, for regional and global crises and wars, primarily the Palestine issue and the Russia-Ukraine war, to end; I believe more effort will be exerted for a fairer world," Erdogan said.
African leaders hope for closer cooperation
Leaders from Africa also weighed in on the US election outcome. The office of Nigerian President Bola Tinubu said that because of Trump's prior experience as president from 2017 to 2021, his election on Wednesday would "usher in an era of earnest, beneficial and reciprocal economic and development partnerships between Africa and the United States."
"Together, we can foster economic cooperation, promote peace and address global challenges that affect our citizens," Tinubu said.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed also congratulated Trump. "I look forward to working together to further strengthen the relationship between our two countries during your term," he said.
Germany's Governing Coalition Collapses!
Chancellor Olaf Scholz said there will be a vote of confidence on his government on January 15, 2025. The move could push Germany's parliamentary elections, scheduled for fall of 2025, to March 2025. Scholz said he planned to ask for a vote of confidence so that MPs "can decide whether to clear the way for early elections" which could be held by the end of March -- six months earlier than scheduled.
He bitterly attacked Lindner's "petty political tactics" and accused him of a level of egoism that is "completely incomprehensible". Max Hofmann, head of DW News, said that Scholz has been criticized by the opposition for proposing a vote of confidence in January, instead of at an earlier date.
Hofmann said that there might be some calculation on behalf of Olaf Scholz and his Social Democrats that "given a little more time" they may be able to "convince voters that they are worth another vote in March."
"Scholz wants to introduce laws, get laws passed by the end of the year, and get things done that he still had planned. Whether this is going to be successful or not is a different story, and that lands him on January 15 for a vote of confidence," Hofmann said. "If he loses that vote, which seems extremely likely at this point, that brings us to March for early elections, and probably a new government for Germany," he added.
Germany could face snap elections
According to the German constitution, a decision to hold early federal elections cannot be made by the members of the lower house of parliament, the Bundestag, nor by the chancellor. An early dissolution of parliament can only come about in one of two ways:
In the first case, if a candidate for chancellor does not win an absolute parliamentary majority — at least 367 votes in the 733-seat Bundestag — the German president can dissolve the parliament. This has never happened in the history of the Federal Republic of Germany.
In the second case, a chancellor can call for a vote of confidence in the Bundestag to confirm whether he or she still has sufficient parliamentary support. If the chancellor fails to win a majority, he or she can formally ask the President to dissolve the Bundestag within 21 days.
Following the dissolution of parliament, new elections must be held within 60 days. They are organized in the same way as normal general elections. The Federal Republic of Germany had three early Bundestag elections in its history. Read more on how they unfolded.
Far-right AfD says traffic light collapse is 'liberation' for Germany
The opposition far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party says it welcomed the collapse of Chancellor Olaf Scholz's governing coalition as long overdue and a "liberation" for Germany. The AfD leaders in Germany's lower house of parliament, Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla, accused the coalition of leading the country to an economic abyss.
"After months of gridlock and countless self-centered therapy sessions, we now urgently need a fundamental political fresh start to lead the economy and the country as a whole out of the severe crisis into which it has been plunged by the ideology-driven policies of the SPD, Greens and FDP," they added. The leaders urged Scholz to immediately call a vote of confidence.
Left Party welcomes potential snap elections
After the breakdown of the traffic light coalition, Germany's socialist Left Party has already started its election campaign. "The battle for the seats for the left of center has begun — and that is a good thing," the party leadership and the Left's Bundestag group declared together.
The Left would bring "a fresh left-wing wind into the country," said party leaders Ines Schwerdtner and Jan van Aken, and the chairs of the Bundestag group, Heidi Reichinnek and Sören Pellmann. They accused the traffic light coalition members of causing instability and ruining the country with austerity.
"Now it is plunging the country into the next crisis. As democratic parties, the SPD, Greens and FDP have a responsibility to ensure stability," the statement said. It said the traffic light coalition had not only failed recently but had "not managed to create security for the vast majority of the country" throughout its three years in power.
