WASHINGTON, DC — The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is using its financial clout over Hollywood to exert influence and deepen its authoritarianism by censoring alternative ideas, an expert warned a House panel on Thursday.
Christopher Walker, the vice president for studies and analysis at the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), argued that China had co-opted Hollywood to support Beijing’s authoritarian goals. Moreover, he pointed out that Beijing gained control of some U.S.-based traditional media outlets, noting that the CCP is clandestinely spreading its message on American soil via more than a dozen radio stations.
Walker’s comments came in the form of written testimony prepared for a House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence hearing focused on China’s “digital authoritarianism.”
He testified:
Walker identified changes made to some of America’s favorite movies to avoid “offending China’s sensibilities” as an example of the extent of authoritarian China’s influence over Hollywood.
He testified:
Walker argued that the United States is not immune to Beijing’s efforts to expand its form of governance outside China.
“The pattern of China’s engagement that has taken shape globally has not eluded the U.S.,” he said.
Click Here: liverpool mens jersey
Walker noted that Beijing is acting “as a hidden hand behind a global web of stations” that primarily broadcast content created or supplied by the Chinese communist party.
“More than a dozen stations across the United States operate as part of the CCP’s ‘borrowed boat’ approach, in which existing media outlets in foreign countries are used to project China’s messages,” he said.
Walker cited a November 2018 report by the Hoover Institution and Asia Society, which pointed out:
Beijing also operates the China Central Television (CCTV) channel on U.S. soil.
Walker noted that China is capitalizing on America’s openness to advance its goals.
He told lawmakers:
During the hearing, the witnesses said that China is using technology to expand its authoritarianism and ultimately threatened the survival of democracy and the U.S.-led international order.
Peter Mattis from the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation blasted the United States for failing to respond “to violence, coercion, and intimidation committed or instigated by PRC [People’s Republic of China] officials on U.S. soil.”
“These are allegedly criminal acts committed by a foreign government against our people on our soil, and U.S. authorities did not open criminal investigations,” he added.
He also condemned the United States for not responding “to PRC education officials intimidating Chinese students on university campuses, despite this activity not being consistent with their diplomatic status.”
All expert witnesses urged the United States to take action to rein in China’s digital authoritarianism.