編者按：這份由Freedom House主導、作者 Sarah Cook執筆發表的研究報告，對中共在國內和國際媒體的滲透和公然的騷擾和恐嚇，有詳盡的描述。其資料性詳實可信，是一份珍貴的資料。由於全文較長，本刊將陸續分段轉載。
主要調查結果
- 中國政府已擴大它的全球媒體足跡。本研究在2019年1月至2021年12月期間，觀察了30個國家。北京媒體影響力等級在其中的16個國家被定為高或非常高。這三年間，中國政權的影響力亦在其中的18個國家有所增加。
- 中國共產黨（中共）及其代理人亦有使用更具技巧及更隱藏的方式去塑造媒體論述和打壓批判性報導。2019年起更常採用的策略為：透過主流媒體大規模散播北京支持的內容、騷擾和恐嚇發布不利中國政府新聞或意見的機構、以及使用網絡欺凌、虛假社交媒體脤戶和有目的性的虛假信息活動。
- 北京的影響力往往受到獨立媒體、公民社會的活動和當地保護新聞自由的法律所限制。 在30個國家中的記者、學者和民間團體均以增加透明度、確保多樣化報導和增加當地對中國的專業知識來應付北京的影響力工程。很多民主國家都有保障資訊自由和媒體持有權的法律，這些法律有助於確保透明度和使媒體生態免受中共的影響。
- 不足的政府應對措施會使國家處於弱勢或惡化問題。下降的新聞自由和媒體規管的漏洞會降低民主的抵禦能力和增加中共未來對媒體的影響力。在23個國家中，政治領導人對國家媒體發動攻擊或利用民眾對中共影響力的合理懷疑來強制監管，針對評論媒體或助長仇外情緒。
- 民主國家抗衡中共媒體影響的能力是驚人的不平均。只有一半的調查國家能達到「頑強」的評級，而其餘的一半則被評定為「脆弱」。台灣雖面對中共最密集的影響，但其抵禦能力亦是最強的，緊隨其後的為美國。而尼日利亞則被評為最容易受到北京的媒體影響工程所影響。
- 長久的民主復原力需要一個經過協調的應對措施。 面對中共日益迫人的影響，政府、媒體機構和科技公司都可以在加強民主復原能力方面發揮作用。建立關於中國的獨立國內專業知識，支持調查類型的新聞、增加媒體持有權和虛假資訊工程的透明度，以及加強對新聞自由的基本保障，都是有效應對的必要條件。政府應該抵制限制獲取資訊或違反人權的強硬行動，應與公民社會和媒體建立伙伴關係，確保所有立法和政策反應都能加強而非削弱民主體制。
Key Findings
- The Chinese government has expanded its global media footprint. The intensity of Beijing’s media influence efforts was designated as High or Very High in 16 of the 30 countries examined in this study, which covers the period from January 2019 to December 2021. In 18 of the countries, the Chinese regime’s efforts increased over the course of those three years.
- The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its proxies are using more sophisticated and coercive tactics to shape media narratives and suppress critical reporting. Mass distribution of Beijing-backed content via mainstream media, harassment and intimidation of outlets that publish news or opinions disfavored by the Chinese government, and the use of cyberbullying, fake social media accounts, and targeted disinformation campaigns are among the tactics that have been employed more widely since 2019.
- The success of Beijing’s efforts is often curtailed by independent media, civil society activity, and local laws protecting press freedom. Journalists, scholars, and civil society groups in all 30 countries responded to influence campaigns in ways that increased transparency, ensured diverse coverage, and enhanced local expertise on China. Laws governing freedom of information or media ownership, which are present in many democracies, helped to ensure transparency and insulate media ecosystems from CCP influence.
- Inadequate government responses leave countries vulnerable or exacerbate the problem. Declines in press freedom and gaps in media regulations have reduced democratic resilience and created greater opportunities for future CCP media influence. In 23 countries, political leaders launched attacks on domestic media or exploited legitimate concerns about CCP influence to impose arbitrary restrictions, target critical outlets, or fuel xenophobic sentiment.
- Democracies’ ability to counter CCP media influence is alarmingly uneven. Only half of the countries examined in this study achieved a rating of Resilient, while the remaining half were designated as Vulnerable. Taiwan faced the most intense CCP influence efforts, but it also mounted the strongest response, followed in both respects by the United States. Nigeria was deemed the most vulnerable to Beijing’s media influence campaigns.
- Long-term democratic resilience will require a coordinated response. Governments, media outlets, civil society, and technology firms all have a role to play in enhancing democratic resilience in the face of increasingly aggressive CCP influence efforts. Building up independent, in-country expertise on China, supporting investigative journalism, improving transparency on media ownership and disinformation campaigns, and shoring up underlying protections for press freedom are all essential components of an effective response strategy. Governments should resist heavy-handed actions that limit access to information or otherwise conflict with human rights principles, instead forging partnerships with civil society and the media to ensure that all legislative and policy responses strengthen rather than weaken democratic institutions.
- 中英文原文請見：https://freedomhouse.org/report/beijing-global-media-influence/2022/authoritarian-expansion-power-democratic-resilience
