China launches PR blitz to combat ‘foreign interference’ in Hong Kong
- Beijing’s ambassadors around the world are taking an assertive – and sometimes aggressive – stance against their hosts’ views on the city’s unrest
- Analysts say heightened activism aims to prevent further internationalisation of China’s domestic issue
China’s diplomats are waging an increasingly assertive public relations campaign to counter growing international criticism over its handling of the unrest in Hong Kong, now in its seventh month.
Diplomatic and political pundits believe the heightened activism among Chinese envoys underlines an overriding priority to prevent further internationalisation of what Beijing insists is an internal issue, in the wake of Washington’s support for the city’s anti-government protesters.
More alarmingly for Beijing, Hong Kong protesters have been campaigning for other countries to follow Washington’s lead and pass similar bills in support of their cause.
In response, ambassadors in Europe – where a major shift is under way in relations with China – and other countries along the geopolitical fault line between Beijing and Washington, are speaking out as never before.
