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THE EU AGAINST THE DISINFORMATION OF CHINA AND RUSSIA DURING THE COVID-19. THE NEED FOR GREATER EUROPEAN NARRATIVE PROACTIVITY AT THE INTERNATIONAL LEVEL

PhD in International Relations from the Complutense University of Madrid. He holds a degree in Law from the University of Zaragoza, a degree in Information Sciences from the UCM and a degree in Political Science from the UNED. His areas of research are the European Union (foreign policy, security and defence and communication policy) and public diplomacy. He is a member of the research team of the project "Public diplomacy in Ibero-American megacities: communication strategies and soft power to influence global environmental legislation". As a lecturer, he also collaborates with the Universidad Europea de Madrid (Spain) and the Universidad Pontificia Comillas.

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Resumo

Disinformation has been used by third countries to weaken the EU and its institutions; erode democracy and create social division. In the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, Russia and China have been in the spotlight for their influence operations in Europe. In the article we will analyse the concept of disinformation in the EU; external threats and the new role played by China and its use of social networks to improve its image and impose its alternative model of governance with sharp power techniques. Finally, the European strategy to defend itself against fake news will be evaluated and the need for the EU to be more proactive in creating frames that allow it to launch a narrative at international level and improve its public diplomacy.

La desinformación ha sido utilizada por terceros países para debilitar a la UE y sus instituciones, erosionar la democracia y crear división social. En la primera ola de la pandemia de la Covid-19, Rusia y China han estado en el punto de mira por sus operaciones de influencia en Europa. En el artículo analizaremos el concepto de desinformación en la UE; las amenazas externas, sobre todo, el nuevo papel que juega China y su uso de las redes sociales con el fin de mejorar su imagen e imponer su modelo alternativo de gobernanza con técnicas de sharp power. Finalmente se evaluará la estrategia europea para defenderse frente a las fake news y la necesidad de la UE de ser más proactiva en la creación de marcos discursivos que le permitan lanzar una narrativa a nivel internacional y mejorar su diplomacia pública.

Palavras-chave

ChinaCovid-19DisinformationEuropean Union sharp powerRússia

ChinaCovid-19DesinformaciónRusiasharp powerUnión Europea

Como citar este artigo

Solsona, Miguel Ángel Benedicto. The EU against the disinformation of China and Russia during the COVID-19. The need for greater European narrative proactivity at the international level. Thematic dossier International Relations and Social Networks, July 2021. Consulted [online] at dat of last visit, https://doi.org/10.26619/1647-7251.DT21.6

Article received on 5 January, 2021 and accepted for publication on 2 March, 2021