(ConservativeInsider.org) – Republican Senators Marco Rubio and Chuck Grassley call on nine prominent U.S. media outlets to sever ties with China Daily, an English-language newspaper. They believe China Daily serves as a mouthpiece for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and is infiltrating American media with propaganda.
Rubio, the vice chair of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, and Grassley, the ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee, sent letters to the heads of the nine target media organizations – Time, the Financial Times, The Boston Globe, The Seattle Times, the Chicago Tribune, the Houston Chronicle, the Los Angeles Times, the Sun Sentinel, and USA Today.
The senators highlighted China Daily’s direct affiliation with the CCP’s Propaganda Department and its registration as a foreign agent under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) in 1983. In 2020, it was further designated as a foreign mission, solidifying its connection to the CCP.
The senators condemned the media outlets for accepting funds from China Daily, pointing out that the newspaper paid over $1 million to these companies for printing and advertising between May 1 and October 31, 2023. They specifically mentioned The Los Angeles Times, which printed supplements labeled “China Watch” provided by China Daily.
Veteran California opinion writer John Seiler previously criticized these supplements as “unedited Chinese propaganda sheets,” noting they only showcased China’s economic recovery while ignoring critical issues like forced labor. Senators echoed these concerns and expressed worry about disseminating unfiltered CCP propaganda to U.S. audiences.
Rubio and Grassley also pointed to a 2023 Director of National Intelligence (DNI) report that revealed the CCP’s attempts to influence the 2022 U.S. midterm elections. They urged the media outlets to sever their ties with China Daily and any other CCP-affiliated entity, arguing that continuing these relationships helps legitimize the CCP’s actions and promotes its falsehoods.
Meanwhile, the senators emphasized safeguarding American interests and democratic values. They urged the nine media outlets to end their associations with China Daily, stressing the need for media independence from foreign influence.
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