China’s Covert Influence Operations Through Crisis Exploitation

China’s Covert Influence Operations Through Crisis Exploitation
Smoke rises from the site of an Israeli air strike that targeted an area in the southern suburbs of the Lebanese capital Beirut on March 17, 2026. Ibrahim Amro/AFP via Getty Images
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Commentary

On the day a community is reeling—after a flood, a shooting, a sudden blackout—people reach for anything that feels like an explanation: a shaky clip, a screenshot, a “neighbor” posting from a brand-new account, a dramatic claim that authorities are hiding something. In those first hours, foreign influence operators do not need to convince millions. They only need to be early, loud, and everywhere, spreading doubt faster than facts.

Charles Davis
Charles Davis
Author
Charles Davis is a military veteran and lecturer with an intelligence background. His military awards include: two Bronze Star Service Medals, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, two Meritorious Service Medals, NATO Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Saudi Arabia Liberation Medal, and Kuwait Liberation Medal.