Indian Journalists, Experts Approached by Fake 'Singapore-based' Academics in Suspected China Operation

Indian journalists and researchers at top think tanks have been approached by people with false credentials claiming to be from Singapore-based institutions to collaborate on projects or write articles on security and foreign policy in recent months, a report has said.

The journalists and researchers were approached through e-mails, LinkedIn, Facebook or WhatsApp in what is believed to be a clandestine propaganda operation by China, Hindustan Times reported.

The targeted people were those mostly writing on issues like Indo-China, Indo-Japan or Indo-Pacific ties.

The report further said that the targeted people were also offered payments of up to $400 (Rs 32,800) for writing analytical articles.

A recent inquiry about the two people- Julia Chia, a “senior programme manager” with National University of Singapore (NUS) and Jian Qiang Wong, a “researcher” at Singapore Institute of International Affairs (SIIA)- who targeted the aforesaid people, revealed that they didn’t exist.

The two people used to approach journalists and researchers based in New Delhi and Mumbai and offered to cooperate on new projects.

According to the report, Wong messaged a Mumbai-based journalist on LinkedIn saying that, “So I wanna build a cooperation relation with you. Are you interested? Would you like to write something for me?”

Julia Chia, who claimed to be working on a weekly journal for National University of Singapore said she sought guest writers who could focus on “hot events happening in the Asia-Pacific region” and promised that the analysis will be “only for internal and limited reference”.

Singapore High Commissioner Simon Wong clarified that the accounts of the two individuals are fake.

In a tweet, Wong said, “To be clear: These accounts, which proclaim to be from Singapore, are fake. These individuals do not work for NUS or Singapore think-tanks. The Singapore-India people-to-people ties are strong enough for such scams to be quickly exposed.”

Meanwhile, Indian security officials said the method used by the two individuals was earlier used in operations conducted by China in countries such as Australia, Canada, and the US.

“These people are looking for the kind of writing which is often induced by the Chinese State to create a narrative in its favour. They target people who have an understanding of strategic affairs or those who they think can publish or push views which favour China’s interests,” one security official said, according to the report.

Ajai Sahni, executive director of the Institute of Conflict Management, said that similar techniques are used across the global for China’s influence operations to force Beijing’s point of view.

“China has been cultivating local influencers wherever it can. If they had greater freedom as in some of our neighbouring countries, China would have opened up friendship institutes that openly lobby for China’s position in areas of their interest. China’s strategy documents state that their private organisations and NGOs have to back the CPC’s objectives anywhere in the world,” Sahni reportedly said.

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