ChinaTalks Lecture: China\u2019s propaganda campaign in Sweden, 2018\u20132019<\/p>\n
Together with the Centre for Military Studies, Department of Political Science, UCPH, ThinkChina are pleased to host Swedish scholar, Bj\u00f6rn Jerd\u00e9n, for a ChinaTalks lecture on China’s\u00a0propaganda campaign in Sweden from 2018 to 2019.<\/p>\n
Abstract
\nSince early 2018, China\u2019s government and its embassy in Stockholm have been conducting an intense campaign of public criticism of Swedish media outlets, journalists, scholars, human rights activists, political parties and authorities. This criticism has sometimes contained implicit threats and personal accusations, and has occasionally been followed up by travel warnings to Chinese citizens. \u00b7 The campaign may be part of a government-directed strategy to pressure Swedish authorities and public opinion to be more accommodating towards Beijing\u2019s concerns, and in particular to reduce their public criticism of the handling of the case of Gui Minhai, a Swedish citizen being held in China since 2015. The goal could also be to demonstrate the costs of publicly opposing China to other European nations.
\nA number of factors suggest that China\u2019s Ambassador to Sweden, Gui Congyou, has been an important driving force behind the campaign. The propaganda push has allowed him to put his embassy in the spotlight and portray it as a front runner in Xi Jinping\u2019s mission to increase China\u2019s influence over global media.
\nThe campaign does not seem to have achieved its aims. Rather than shaping Swedish public discourse and policy in China\u2019s favour, it has sparked an extensive negative reaction. At the same time, however, it may have contributed to self-censorship in Swedish society and in European governments<\/p>\n
The lecture will be based on the findings in this report.<\/p>\n
Short bio: Bj\u00f6rn Jerd\u00e9n<\/p>\n
Bj\u00f6rn Jerd\u00e9n\u00a0is Research Fellow and Head of the Asia Program at The Swedish Institute of International Affairs (UI). He holds a PhD in Political Science from Stockholm University. Bj\u00f6rn is a member of the steering group of Stockholm Observatory for Global China. His research covers international relations related to East Asia \u2013 with a special focus on China, Japan and the United States.<\/p>\n
Practical information
\nDate and Time: October 7th, 12:00 – 13:30.<\/p>\n
Place:\u00a0University of Copenhagen, City Campus, Nordic Institute of Asia Studies, Room 18.1.08, \u00d8ster Farimagsgade 5, 1353 Kbh K.<\/p>\n
Registration:\u00a0Free for all, but due to limited seating, please sign up here.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ChinaTalks Lecture: China\u2019s propaganda campaign in Sweden, 2018\u20132019 Together with the Centre for Military Studies, Department of Political Science, UCPH, ThinkChina are pleased to host Swedish scholar, Bj\u00f6rn Jerd\u00e9n, for a ChinaTalks lecture on China’s\u00a0propaganda campaign in Sweden from 2018 to 2019. Abstract Since early 2018, China\u2019s government and its embassy in Stockholm have been […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":93043,"template":"","class_list":["post-93042","event","type-event","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","event_category-foredrag"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"yoast_head":"\n