Canada has accused China of running a misinformation campaign on WeChat aimed especially at Conservative legislator Michael Chong.
Global Affairs Canada (GAC) believes China is behind a WeChat campaign spreading false information about Chong’s background and viewpoints. GAC claims it discovered these attempts while probing for foreign meddling ahead of a by-election. There were suspicious WeChat posts that spread incorrect information on Chong. Many accounts were tied to China’s state media, while others were anonymous and had no connection with Canadian politics. This is consistent with Canada charging China of electoral manipulation.
In response, the Chinese embassy in Canada dismissed the allegations as “purely groundless” and denied any interference in Canada’s internal affairs. GAC, however, intends to address the issue with China’s representatives in Canada
This incident isn’t the first time Chong has been targeted. His concerns about human rights abuses in China previously led to diplomatic tensions between the two nations. Chong characterized this campaign as another example of Beijing’s attempts to undermine Canadian democracy.
The sources for this piece include an article in BBC.