China, Russia Deploying ‘Sharp Power’ to Quietly Penetrate Democracies

Russian President Vladimir Putin shakes hands with China’s President Xi Jinping / Getty Images

 

Sharp power centers on distraction and manipulation

China and Russia have spent billions of dollars over the past decade on state-run propaganda campaigns disguised as commercial ventures in an effort to shape public opinion and policy debates in democracies around the world, according to a new report by the National Endowment for Democracy.

To accomplish this, Beijing and Moscow have deployed a diverse array of tools, including people-to-people exchanges, cultural activities, educational programs, and the development of media enterprises with global reach.

‘Emperor Xi’? Unprecedented military parade to salute ‘Mao Zedong of the 21st Century’

President Xi Jinping has determined to outdo Mao Zedong in terms of building up a cult of personality: he has ordered a gigantic military parade at Tiananmen Square this autumn to demonstrate his ironclad hold over the army – and most other levers of power in the country.

In Communist Chinese Party (CCP) history, military parades have only been held to mark major anniversaries of the founding of the People’s Republic on Oct. 1, 1949. The last two extravaganzas took place in October 1999 and October 2009.