Obama Campaign Cites Chinese Propaganda Agency to Attack Romney

The Obama campaign cited a notorious state-owned Chinese propaganda network to attack Mitt Romney on Friday morning.

The statement was a response to a new Romney ad, which declares, “Under Obama, we’ve lost over half a million manufacturing jobs. And for the first time, China is beating us.”

The Xinhua News Agency, a large state-owned news network that broadcasts Communist Party propaganda, called the ad “false” and “foolish.” The Washington Post credited the pushback to “authorities in Beijing,” underscoring the widely accepted synergy between Xinhua and the Chinese government.

Stephanie Cutter, the president’s deputy campaign manager, seized on the PRC’s attacks in a tweet Friday morning, calling a piece on Xinhua’s criticism a “must read.”

Must read:China’s Xinhua slams Romney for making his money off Chinese companies before running for pres. #hypocrisy reut.rs/Ou5wIr

— Stephanie Cutter (@stefcutter) September 14, 2012

“We know Obama is channeling Jimmy Carter,” a Romney campaign official said via email. “Just didn’t know his Deputy Campaign Manager Stephanie Cutter would channel Mao.”

Reporters Without Borders says Xinhua “is at the heart of censorship and disinformation put in place by the communist party.” While it “is now seen by some as a credible media,” RWB adds, “it [is] the main outlet for the CCP’s propaganda to China’s media.”