Chinese nationalist influencers have taken to social media to thank President Donald Trump for terminating media organizations Voice of America (VOA) and Radio Free Asia (RFA), outlets that heavily criticized the Chinese government.
"Thank you, Comrade Chuan Jianguo and Elon Musk, please take care and stay safe," a Weibo user said on Monday.
Trump signed an executive order to eliminate VOA and RFA, two media outlets accessible to those living under authoritarian regimes and funded by the US government, on Friday. The Chinese government had directed much of its propaganda towards discrediting the outlets due to their constant censure of the government.
One newspaper operated by the Communist Party, The Global Times, celebrated the demise of VOA in an editorial, referring to the outlet as "Washington's carefully crafted propaganda machine for peaceful evolution."
"The carefully constructed 'iron curtain of public opinion' they have built is also on the verge of collapse under the impact of countless media and self-media showcasing authentic content," the editorial continued. "As more Americans begin to break through their information cocoons and see a real world and a multidimensional China, the demonizing narratives propagated by VOA will ultimately become a laughingstock of the times."
The demise of VOA, alongside the 1,300 administrative staff members who have been placed on leave because of it, both have been celebrated by nationalist influencers on Chinese social media.
"Voice of America has been paralyzed! And so has Radio Free Asia, which is just as malicious toward China. How truly gratifying!" wrote Hu Xijin, a former editor-in-chief of the Global Times and prominent nationalist commentator.
"Almost all Chinese people know the Voice of America, as it is a symbolic tool of US ideological infiltration into China," Hu wrote in a post on microblogging site Weibo. "(I) believe that Chinese people are more than happy to see America's anti-China ideological stronghold crumble from within, scattering like a flock of startled birds."
"This news marks the end of an era," said another comment on Weibo on Sunday.
"I'm laughing my head off!" wrote another.
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