(TibetanReview.net, Mar01’25) – China created fictitious profiles of Tibetan exiles as well as journalists and activists from Arunachal Pradesh and used them to target Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, and spread discontent against the Indian government’s hydroelectric power projects in the country’s north-east, reported indiatoday.in Feb 28, citing a new Meta report.
The covert social media campaign linked to China aimed at discrediting the Dalai Lama by spreading misleading content about Tibet and its politics, including criticisms of the exiled spiritual leader of Tibet, conspiracies about his travel and health, and attempts to weaken his influence.
The Meta report has said that by posing as a journalist in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh and using fake accounts across platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and X, the campaign sought to push narratives framing him as a Western pawn against China—a long-standing theme in Beijing’s disinformation warfare.
The individuals behind this campaign are reported to have used fake accounts and proxy IPs, masking their origin to seem as if they were operating from India, Bhutan, or Nepal. They created fictitious personas, many posing as Tibetan expats, and posted mainly in English and Tibetan. In a deceptive tactic, the network even posted on both sides of the political debate. Some fake accounts supported the Dalai Lama, while others criticised him for making the campaign seem organic.
“This network originated in China and targeted the Tibetan diaspora primarily in Nepal, India and Bhutan across multiple services, including ours, X (formerly Twitter) and Blogspot”, the Meta has said in its threat report published on Feb 27.
* **
This Chinese operation is reported to have also targeted India by running deceptive campaigns, including a fake petition opposing a proposed hydropower dam in Arunachal Pradesh’s Upper Siang region. The petition claimed that the Indian government was planning to deploy the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) to suppress indigenous protests, violating human rights and disregarding environmental concerns.
The report noted that the fake petition was launched on Dec 12, 2024, just weeks after Indian and Chinese leaders met at the BRICS Summit in October, emphasising development over conflict and viewing each other as partners rather than competitors.
The report said a similar network subversion was uncovered in 2023, targeting the Tibetan diaspora and the Indian government.
The report noted that the recent network campaign of falsehood was taking place despite Chinese Ambassador Xu Feihong having recently stated that “China-India relations are entering a phase of recovery,” urging the youth to contribute to improving bilateral relations.
Meta’s findings suggest that behind diplomatic statements, a silent war of narratives is being waged in the digital space, the report said.