A recent investigation by digital watchdog Citizen Lab has uncovered a widespread influence campaign spanning over 100 websites posing as local news outlets across Europe, Asia, and Latin America. These sites have been found to disseminate pro-China content linked to a Beijing-based public relations firm, Shenzhen Haimaiyunxiang Media Co., Ltd., also known as Haimai.
According to Citizen Lab’s research report released on Wednesday, the propaganda material on these websites is interspersed with news aggregated from legitimate local news outlets and Chinese state media. Alberto Fittarelli, a researcher involved in the report, highlighted the risk of inadvertent amplification by local media and target audiences due to the proliferation of these websites and their adaptation to local languages and content.
The content featured on these sites ranges from conspiracy theories, often targeting the United States or its allies, to articles attacking Beijing’s critics. One notable example is a piece blaming American scientists for “leaking” COVID-19. While it is uncommon for researchers to directly link such operations to specific entities, Citizen Lab has traced this campaign back to Shenzhen Haimaiyunxiang Media Co., Ltd.
Despite requests for comment, the company remained silent on the matter, and attempts to reach them via phone were unsuccessful. However, a spokesperson for China’s embassy in Washington dismissed allegations of disinformation, labeling them as biased and reflective of double standards.
Among the websites identified in this campaign is Roma Journal, which masquerades as a local Italian news outlet. While its headlines discuss topics like the Italian prime minister’s political prospects and local events, a “press releases” section on its homepage redirects to Chinese state media articles promoting narratives favorable to Beijing.
A significant portion of the content found on these websites is sourced from a press releases service called Times Newswire. Analysts at cybersecurity firm Mandiant had previously identified this service as a central component of a separate Chinese influence operation targeting U.S. audiences.
Experts tracking online influence campaigns note that China, alongside Russia and Iran, is one of the major sources of such operations. Meta, the parent company of social media giant Facebook, highlighted the increasing prevalence and global reach of Chinese influence operations in a report published in November.
Following the discovery of several of these websites in South Korea and Italy, further investigations were conducted by Citizen Lab. South Korea’s National Cyber Security Center exposed 18 of these sites in a report last November, also linking the operation to Shenzhen Haimaiyunxiang Media Co., Ltd. In Italy, it was reported that Roma Journal was not legally registered as a news outlet.
Despite the low engagement observed on these sites, experts caution against underestimating the significance of such campaigns. The continued funding and operation of these influence efforts suggest their perceived value to the entities behind them, indicating that they are likely to persist in the foreseeable future.
