Former Philippine Navy analyst explains China’s online strategies

Social media, once meant for personal connections and content sharing, has been weaponized by major powers to shape public opinion and political outcomes in smaller nations.

China has emerged as a leading global player in the emerging field called FIMI, or Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference, using online networks to advance its geopolitical goals.

In this second episode of a special three-part podcast series on FIMI, journalist Howie Severino and his team examine how China’s digital strategies have sought to influence Philippine domestic politics.

Through an in-depth interview with former Philippine Navy analyst Janina Santos, they explore how Beijing leverages local proxies to spread its preferred narratives — particularly regarding the West Philippine Sea.

Now with Doublethink Lab, a Taiwan-based think tank, Santos describes the shift from the Duterte to the Marcos administration in terms of China policy, noting how a more open approach has helped the public better understand developments in disputed waters.

“We came from a (Duterte) presidency that did not really allow us to talk much about Chinese influence operations,” Santos recalls.

She adds that the “transparency initiative” under President Marcos has reduced Beijing’s sway over Philippine public opinion, a trend reflected in Doublethink Lab’s China Index, which monitors Chinese influence worldwide.

This series aims to shed light on how foreign powers shape local narratives and politics.

“Our main goal,” Severino says, “is to help audiences think critically about the information they consume. And since podcast listeners are usually already well-informed, we hope they can help their families — their parents, titos, and titas — do the same. In short: think before you click.”

For experts like Santos, the future of democracy depends on citizens’ ability to analyze and question the competing narratives that dominate our online world. –NB, GMA Integrated News