The Russia and China Disinformation Nexus

Sammanfattning: The increasing use of information warfare by authoritarian states to promote a multipolar order, coupled with a growing rapprochement between Russia and China, can lead to synergies that undermine international security. In response to the problem, this thesis aims to unpack and examine the Russia-China disinformation nexus to address the implications of the relationship on international security. To do so, the thesis employs a mixed-methods approach to analyze Russian and Chinese disinformation on Twitter following the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, using the concepts of sharp power and policy transfer as a framework of analysis.  The results indicate that while joint aims to undermine US hegemony provides fertile grounds for synergetic effects, the aims and objective of each state is the driving factor behind overlapping disinformation. The primary process of convergence was China emulating some features of Russian disinformation, with some evidence suggesting that Russia and China engage in a reciprocal policy transfer of information warfare. The findings further indicate that China formats its disinformation to appear neutral in the Ukraine war, despite the declared no-limit partnership with Russia. These findings offer insights into the complex evolving ’no-limit’ partnership developing between Russia and China and are thus significant for policymakers to counter these states’ influence efforts.