China's state media buys Meta ads pushing Russia's line on war • Hacker News Board

Re: China's state media buys Meta ads pushing Russia's line on war

#121

Post by Element_ » Wed, Mar 09, 2022, 3:35 PM UTC

DrinkWater wrote: post #5

I don’t know why China is so keen on helping Russia. Is this some kind of godfather deal and they want some massive ROI from Russia once things settle down a bit? Or is this some long-term strategy “against the West”?

It is pretty simple; a regional war in Ukraine weakens both the west and Russia while reducing their focus on China. China's best strategic interest is to keep the regional war going as long as possible. China is not really "helping" Russia, rather propping up one side of the information war to ensure the war grinds on.

Re: China's state media buys Meta ads pushing Russia's line on war

#122

Post by cmurf » Wed, Mar 09, 2022, 3:35 PM UTC

thereddaikon wrote: post #70

cmurf wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

China has never recognized Taiwan as a sovereign nation. Russia and China are among the parties to the Budapest Memorandum, a 1994 treaty recognizing Ukraine as a sovereign nation.

1: The international community probably doesn't care if they don't. It will still be seen as an invasion. 2: While Russia formally recognizes Ukraine as a country I don't believe they currently recognize its democratically elected government as legitimate which is the basis for their bogus Casus Belli.

Putin is doing this for popularity boost, as he has successfully employed several times before. The reasons he gives publicly are contradictory.

And in any case the treaty doesn't allow for invasion upon the government being perceived as illegitimate. This is an aggressive war, considered since the end of WW2 to be the supreme international crime.

The problem still so far is everything done to hold Putin accountable is viewed by Russians as the West vs Russia. This invasion is viewed not as aggressive war, but liberating Ukraine from Nazis. Exactly what Putin says domestically.

And yes, most of the rest of the world recognizes Taiwan as a sovereign country, except formally they use language consistent with One China to avoid a row with China

Re: China's state media buys Meta ads pushing Russia's line on war

#123

Post by zdragnar » Wed, Mar 09, 2022, 3:35 PM UTC

maratc wrote: post #115

hkmaxpro wrote: post #112

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How do your links [1][2] support the claim that Ukraine is developing “biomilitary activities” (as claimed in the title of the Global Times article)? They seem to point to medical research to fight against diseases, rather than “biomilitary activities”.

Genuine question: Why would the US Department of Defence fund "medical research to fight against diseases"?

As evidenced by covid 19, pandemics are a matter of national security. I like to think that the DoD is interested in developing novel ways to fight novel pathogens, rather than use them as weapons. That said, I am under no illusion that the DoD or any government institution should be simply taken at their word either.

Re: China's state media buys Meta ads pushing Russia's line on war

#124

Post by yks » Wed, Mar 09, 2022, 3:36 PM UTC

maratc wrote: post #115

hkmaxpro wrote: post #112

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How do your links [1][2] support the claim that Ukraine is developing “biomilitary activities” (as claimed in the title of the Global Times article)? They seem to point to medical research to fight against diseases, rather than “biomilitary activities”.

Genuine question: Why would the US Department of Defence fund "medical research to fight against diseases"?

cause they were reducing threat of COVID in UA Armed Forces (first link)

Re: China's state media buys Meta ads pushing Russia's line on war

#125

Post by AnIdiotOnTheNet » Wed, Mar 09, 2022, 3:36 PM UTC

supermatt wrote: post #8

Political propaganda has no place on these advertising platforms. Deeper pockets shouldn't mean a louder voice on these matters.

Just more evidence that advertising is a huge net-negative on the world and should be abolished as far as I'm concerned.

Re: China's state media buys Meta ads pushing Russia's line on war

#126

Post by hn_go_brrrrr » Wed, Mar 09, 2022, 3:36 PM UTC

maratc wrote: post #115

hkmaxpro wrote: post #112

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How do your links [1][2] support the claim that Ukraine is developing “biomilitary activities” (as claimed in the title of the Global Times article)? They seem to point to medical research to fight against diseases, rather than “biomilitary activities”.

Genuine question: Why would the US Department of Defence fund "medical research to fight against diseases"?

To defend against biological weapons. The DoD is responsible for defending the US against all kinds of attacks -- conventional, nuclear, chemical, and biological -- even if it doesn't use all of those weapon types itself.

Re: China's state media buys Meta ads pushing Russia's line on war

#127

Post by 9wzYQbTYsAIc » Wed, Mar 09, 2022, 3:36 PM UTC

DrinkWater wrote: post #5

I don’t know why China is so keen on helping Russia. Is this some kind of godfather deal and they want some massive ROI from Russia once things settle down a bit? Or is this some long-term strategy “against the West”?

> I don’t know why China is so keen on helping Russia.

They are ancient neighbors and have a vested interest in helping maintain global geopolitical harmony, just like all other globalized nations.

Re: China's state media buys Meta ads pushing Russia's line on war

#128

Post by maratc » Wed, Mar 09, 2022, 3:38 PM UTC

yks wrote: post #124

maratc wrote: post #115

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Genuine question: Why would the US Department of Defence fund "medical research to fight against diseases"?

cause they were reducing threat of COVID in UA Armed Forces (first link)

The document linked above is from 2017. Was there a COVID-17 I never heard of?

Re: China's state media buys Meta ads pushing Russia's line on war

#129

Post by hkmaxpro » Wed, Mar 09, 2022, 3:38 PM UTC

maratc wrote: post #115

hkmaxpro wrote: post #112

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How do your links [1][2] support the claim that Ukraine is developing “biomilitary activities” (as claimed in the title of the Global Times article)? They seem to point to medical research to fight against diseases, rather than “biomilitary activities”.

Genuine question: Why would the US Department of Defence fund "medical research to fight against diseases"?

The answer is simply the first paragraph of [1]:

> The U.S. Department of Defense’s Biological Threat Reduction Program collaborates with partner countries to counter the threat of outbreaks (deliberate, accidental, or natural) of the world’s most dangerous infectious diseases. The program accomplishes its bio-threat reduction mission through development of a bio-risk management culture; international research partnerships; and partner capacity for enhanced bio-security, bio-safety, and bio-surveillance measures. The Biological Threat Reduction Program’s priorities in Ukraine are to consolidate and secure pathogens and toxins of security concern and to continue to ensure Ukraine can detect and report outbreaks caused by dangerous pathogens before they pose security or stability threats

Re: China's state media buys Meta ads pushing Russia's line on war

#130

Post by chipgap98 » Wed, Mar 09, 2022, 3:39 PM UTC

9wzYQbTYsAIc wrote: post #127

DrinkWater wrote: post #5

I don’t know why China is so keen on helping Russia. Is this some kind of godfather deal and they want some massive ROI from Russia once things settle down a bit? Or is this some long-term strategy “against the West”?

> I don’t know why China is so keen on helping Russia. They are ancient neighbors and have a vested interest in helping maintain global geopolitical harmony, just like all other globalized nations.

How are they helping maintain global geopolitical harmony? Their actions seem to be doing the opposite