Pro-Beijing Disinformation Operators Target Australian, US, Canadian Rare Earth Miners

Screenshot of Dragonbridge-backed social media campaign targeting Australian rare earth miner Lynas (Courtesy of Mandiant).

A pro-Beijing online influence campaign known as Dragonbridge is focusing on major Australian, U.S., and Canadian rare earth miners who pose a threat to China’s dominance of supply chains for the precious resource, according to a cybersecurity firm.

Dragonbridge comprises a network of “thousands of inauthentic accounts” spread across social media platforms, websites, and forums that promote the political interests of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), according to U.S. cybersecurity firm Mandiant, which has been tracking the campaign since June 2019.