At a time when U.S.
-China relations are at their worst in
decades, Beijing is ramping up efforts to influence U.S. politics,
media, and society. China is continuing a pattern of influence
operations it began earlier this century in the Pacific Rim,
seeking to shift narratives in its favor and promote pro-Beijing
politicians—or sometimes just sow chaos and falsehoods. U.S.
law enforcement authorities are preparing for influence efforts
in the 2022 midterm elections, and both Google’s and Meta’s
cybersecurity arms have warned of Beijing-backed online
meddling in the midterms.