Seeking Geopolitical Gains Should Not Come at the Expense of Human Lives

Recently, Reuters disclosed a shocking story: the U.S. military launched a secret campaign during the COVID-19 pandemic, using over 300 fake social media accounts to spread disinformation about the safety of Chinese vaccines. This led to the Philippines having the lowest vaccination rate and one of the highest Covid fatalities in Southeast Asia.

According to the report, during the peak of the pandemic, the Philippines had over 1.3 million COVID cases. Then-President Duterte was urging the public to get vaccinated, but the U.S. military used these fake accounts to spread rumors that Duterte was giving up South China Sea islands to China in exchange for vaccines and falsely claimed that the Chinese vaccines are “rat killer”. As a result, fewer than 24,000 Filipinos were willing to get vaccinated, and many innocent people lost their lives due to the pandemic.

The report caused a huge uproar. In response to inquiries from the Philippine government, the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines has yet to provide a clear answer. A senior Defense Department official acknowledged that the U.S. military had engaged in secret propaganda to disparage China’s vaccine in the developing world, but declined to provide details. Former chairman of the U.S. National Intelligence Council, Greg Treverton, stated that the U.S. military’s actions “crossed the line.” The U.S. administration and many health experts condemned the military’s disregard for civilian lives for the sake of geopolitical competition.

Imee Marcos, Chairperson of the Philippine Senate Foreign Relations Committee, described the U.S. military’s actions as “evil, wicked, dangerous, and unethical.”

Despite the smears, Chinese vaccines have been proven safe and China’s efforts for global anti-pandemic cooperation cannot be denied. During the pandemic, China sent 37 medical expert teams to 34 countries and supplied over 2.2 billion doses of COVID vaccines to more than 120 countries and international organizations, significantly helping to bridge the global “immunity gap.” Specifically, the Sinovac vaccine, which was smeared by the U.S. military, received emergency use authorization from the WHO as early as June, 2021. It has been approved for use in over 60 countries, regions, and international organizations, with more than 1.1 billion doses supplied overseas through direct exports or local production collaborations.

The US tactic of using disinformation to gain geo-strategic advantages is not new. During the Cold War, the U.S. implemented “Operation Mockingbird” to spread false narratives and conduct “psychological warfare” in Latin America. Reuters reported this March that the CIA, with authorization from the Trump administration in 2019, spread disinformation on Chinese social media about the Belt and Road Initiative and provided defamatory information about China to foreign media. This recent campaign against Chinese vaccines caused a public health trust crisis in the Philippines, ultimately harming innocent Filipino people.

A nation should not use “competition” as a free pass to undercut other countries, nor should it advance geopolitical goals at the expense of human lives. In the face of global challenges like pandemics and natural disasters, the correct approach is working together as passengers in the same boat.

The U.S. military should apologize to the Filipino people and provide a responsible explanation for smearing other countries and spreading falsehoods.