Decode China: US backs Chinese-language news site in Australia as battle of the narratives heats up

Name: Australia suspends extradition treaty with Hong Kong, offers residency pathway for Hongkongers
Uploaded: 2020-07-10T22:00:14.000Z
Duration: 1 min 49 s
Description: Australia suspends extradition treaty with Hong Kong, offers residency pathway for Hongkongers

Decode China will operate under an arrangement with the US Department of State and the London-based Institute for War & Peace Reporting

The venture has been linked to critics of Beijing and comes amid tensions over Hong Kong, trade and claims of spying

Reading Time:5 minutes

Why you can trust SCMP

The shells of Sydney Opera House as seen through a Chinese flag. Photo: AFP

John Power

Published: 6:00am, 11 Jul 2020Updated: 11:16am, 28 Jul 2020

Corrected [11:35am, 11 Jul, 2020]

[11:35am, 11 Jul, 2020]
An earlier version of this article said an APAC News article about the Australian Strategic Policy Institute was written by former Sydney Morning Herald journalist Michael West. The article in question was in fact co-published on West's media website.
[11:06am, 28 Jul, 2020]
This article has been further updated to reflect information that was made available after publication.

A US government-backed media outlet is preparing to launch a Chinese-language news service in Australia, signalling a potential shake-up in the battle of narratives around China and its hotly debated influence in the country.

Decode China will operate a Chinese-language website under an arrangement with the US Department of State and the Institute for War & Peace Reporting (IWPR), according to disclosures on the Australian government’s public register of foreign influence.

The new media outlet was chosen as a “sub-awardee” of IWPR, a non-profit organisation that “works with the US Department of State to disseminate and manage grants around the world”, according to the disclosures.

The London-based charity describes its mission as to help journalists and civil society “speak out” through training, mentoring and other support programmes in “countries in conflict, crisis and transition around the world”.

01:49

Australia suspends extradition treaty with Hong Kong, offers residency pathway for Hongkongers

In 2016, it received US$13.6 million in grants and donations from sources in the United States, Britain and the Netherlands, according to its annual report that year.

The venture comes at a time of heightened tensions between Canberra and Beijing, whose relations have been strained by a raft of disputes spanning issues including Hong Kong, trade, allegations of espionage, and racist incidents targeting Asians in Australia.

Select Voice

Choose your listening speed

Get through articles 2x faster

1.25x

250 WPM

Slow

Average

Fast

00:0000:00

1.25x

Decode China: US backs Chinese-language news site in Australia as battle of the narratives heats up

Decode China will operate under an arrangement with the US Department of State and the London-based Institute for War & Peace Reporting The venture has been linked to critics of Beijing and comes amid tensions over Hong Kong, trade and claims of spying

Decode China will operate under an arrangement with the US Department of State and the London-based Institute for War & Peace Reporting

The venture has been linked to critics of Beijing and comes amid tensions over Hong Kong, trade and claims of spying