Chinese state media are pushing the theory that Brazilian beef, Saudi shrimps and Maine lobsters are reasons for the spread of Coronavirus, according to the findings of a researcher who studied hundreds of accounts with a pro-China agenda.
Writing for a global think tank Policy Research Group (POREG), disinformation researcher Marcel Schliebs has identified "hundreds of accounts affiliated with pro-China agenda pushing forwards the theory of exported cold meats being a reason for the spread of coronavirus. The Chinese state media seems interested in proving that beef from Brazil, shrimp from Saudi Arabia and pork from the USA are the reason coronavirus is spreading."
The report said the latest Chinese claim is that lobsters from Maine are the reason that coronavirus is spreading.
According to the global think tank, Schliebs analysed the Twitter feed of pro-China accounts for 18 months and noted that the Maine lobster theory was pushed by a Chinese diplomat posted to the Kolkata consulate.
"Zha Liyou posted this theory in November 2019 and it has resulted in the snow ball effect. Both wholesale lobster suppliers and the Centre for Disease Control in Maine have categorically stated that these claims have no basis in facts but China has turned a deaf ear to their assertions," said the report.
"One can see a correlation between the growing international concerns about China's Wuhan city being the epicenter of coronavirus and these contaminated meat accusations. China, in an attempt to counter the narrative, seems to be promoting the contaminated meat theory," the report added.
It further reported that the one correlation at the very least has become obvious; the correlation between any country taking a stance against the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) policies in any way and China claiming their food is contaminated and thus hurting that countries exports.
Schliebs, in the report, said that it is fairly obvious that China is using every bit of their position as a growing superpower to keep the rest of the world in check in terms of questioning their agenda and policies within mainland China and territories that China claims as their own.
The United States, being a superpower, has gone head to head with China in a trade war since the Trump presidency and it seems to be only escalating under President Biden due to mistrust and stress of the pandemic induced economic crisis, Schliebs said, adding that it is yet to be seen how far China will take its war on exports against democracies that disagree with the CCP.
( With inputs from ANI )
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