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AllAfrica
09-07-2025
- Politics
- AllAfrica
China badmouths French Rafale to rewire Indo-Pacific arms deals
China has launched a digital dogfight against France, using disinformation and diplomatic pressure to undermine Rafale fighter jet sales and promote Chinese alternatives across the Indo-Pacific. This month, the Associated Press (AP) reported that French intelligence officials have accused China of orchestrating a targeted disinformation campaign aimed at harming the reputation and sales of Dassault Aviation's Rafale fighter jet, particularly after its deployment in the India-Pakistan conflict in May. The supposed initiative, led by Chinese defense attachés through foreign embassies, involved lobbying countries such as Indonesia to reconsider their procurement plans and choose Chinese-made alternatives. Online activity surged during the four-day conflict, with over 1,000 new accounts disseminating manipulated imagery, AI-generated content, and simulated combat depictions to portray Rafales as underperforming. French Air Force General Jérôme Bellanger confirmed that India lost three aircraft: one Rafale, one Sukhoi, and one Mirage 2000. He also dismissed the claims of five Rafale shootdowns as disinformation. The first known Rafale combat loss has prompted global scrutiny among client states. France's Defense Ministry described the campaign as an attack not only on a weapons platform but also on its strategic industrial reputation. With 323 jets exported, including 42 ordered by Indonesia, the Rafale remains central to France's Indo-Pacific outreach. China's defense ministry rejected the allegations as 'groundless rumors.' Observers believe China aims to weaken Western defense ties in Asia. AP reviewed intelligence shared on condition of anonymity. Explaining China's possible disinformation strategy, Dexter Roberts, in a December 2020 Atlantic Council report, outlined how Beijing employs disinformation as a strategic instrument to shape global narratives, undermine the credibility of rival powers, and enhance its 'discourse power' in critical domains like defense. He explained that China utilizes state-controlled media, social platforms and covert actors to amplify propaganda and discredit adversaries' political systems, social cohesion and technological capabilities. These efforts, he noted, are aimed at advancing China's governance model and curbing Western influence in sensitive arenas by seeding doubt, stoking local grievances and exerting reputational and economic pressure on decision-makers While China aspires to become a top-tier fighter jet exporter, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) notes that it has had only modest success, with just 57 combat aircraft on order or preselected for delivery after 2024 – far behind the US (996), France (214), and South Korea (140). Explaining these weak sales, Richard Aboulafia argued in a February 2023 Citadel article that China's assertive foreign policy significantly undermines its arms export prospects. He noted that countries like India and Vietnam, which have territorial disputes with China, are ruled out as potential buyers, while others like Malaysia and Indonesia remain wary of Beijing's regional ambitions. These concerns are reinforced by the nature of modern fighter jets, which demand constant technical, logistical, and maintenance support from their manufacturers to stay operational, creating long-term dependencies that can serve as levers of influence. Such dependencies run counter to Indonesia's longstanding commitment to non-alignment and strategic autonomy. Ron Matthews and others argue in a July 2025 article in the peer-reviewed Asian Security journal that Indonesia's defense acquisition strategy reflects its 'free and active' foreign policy by deliberately diversifying suppliers across the US, Russia, China, South Korea and European countries to avoid being beholden to any single actor. They emphasize that this approach is not just about building capability – it's a geopolitical maneuver that allows Jakarta to retain sovereignty over defense choices while navigating a multipolar Indo-Pacific without being pulled into great-power rivalries. That calculus appears to be playing out in real time. While Reuters reported in June 2024 that China had offered J-10 jets, frigates, and other equipment to Indonesia, Defense Security Asia noted this month that Indonesia seeks to acquire 24 more Rafale jets, bringing its total order to 66. If finalized, this deal would replace Jakarta's aging fleet of US F-16s and Russian Su-27s and make Indonesia the largest non-European Rafale operator. Indonesia's desire to maintain strategic autonomy may align well with France's Indo-Pacific strategy. Eric Frecon, in a February 2022 article for the ISEAS Yusof Ishak Institute, said France's approach revitalizes 'Gaullo-Mitterrandism' – a diplomatic strategy that emphasizes French interests and values within a multilateral setting. Frecon argues that France's outreach to Indo-Pacific middle powers like Indonesia allows it to sidestep the binary China-US framing and support a more multipolar world order. Coline Laroche echoes this in a May 2025 piece for the French Institute for International and Strategic Affairs (IRIS), stating that France aims to act as a 'balancing power' promoting multilateralism, grounded in its national interests and permanent seat on the UN Security Council. Laroche notes that France seeks to offer a 'third voice' amid escalating tensions between China's assertiveness and US pressure. While India and France are in damage control mode and Indonesia's Rafale deal appears stable despite the disinformation blitz, questions remain about how other Indo-Pacific nations will respond to Beijing's push. A May 2025 article from The China Academy claims that the J-10 is gaining traction among countries seeking cost-effective alternatives to Western jets. It identifies Bangladesh as a potential buyer, citing national defense needs driven by India-centric concerns. It also names Thailand, which has a history of balanced procurement and non-confrontational diplomacy, and Myanmar, long reliant on Chinese systems and now seeking upgrades. Still, skepticism persists. Rahman Yaacob writes in a January 2025 article for the Lowy Institute that Southeast Asian states increasingly prefer supplier diversity. He cites Russia's declining role, the high political costs of US equipment, and quality issues with Chinese gear as reasons for the shift. Yaacob contends that this dynamic is opening up opportunities for new players – France, Germany, and South Korea – to gain ground in a region that values flexibility over alignment. As China ramps up its digital warfare tactics to corner Indo-Pacific arms markets, the real battle may not be over airframes but over influence, and whether buyers trust what they see, or what they're being shown.
Indian Express
07-07-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
China used embassies to undermine sales of France's flagship Rafale fighter jet: report
China deployed its embassies to spread doubts about the performance of French-made Rafale jets after they saw combat in India and Pakistan's clashes in May, French military and intelligence officials have concluded, implicating Beijing in an effort to hammer the reputation and sales of France's flagship fighter. Findings from a French intelligence service seen by The Associated Press say defense attaches in China's foreign embassies led a charge to undermine Rafale sales, seeking to persuade countries that have already ordered the French-made fighter — notably Indonesia — not to buy more and to encourage other potential buyers to choose Chinese-made planes. The findings were shared with AP by a French military official on condition that the official and the intelligence service not be named. Four days of India-Pakistan clashes in May were the most serious confrontation in years between the two nuclear-armed neighbors, and included air combat that involved dozens of aircraft from both sides. Military officials and researchers have since been digging for details of how Pakistan's Chinese-made military hardware — particularly warplanes and air-combat missiles — fared against weaponry that India used in airstrikes on Pakistani targets, notably French-made Rafale fighters. Sales of Rafales and other armaments are big business for France's defense industry and help efforts by the government in Paris to strengthen ties with other nations, including in Asia where China is becoming the dominant regional power. France is fighting what it calls a disinformation campaign against the Rafale. Pakistan claimed its air force downed five Indian planes during the fighting, including three Rafales. French officials say that prompted questions about their performance from countries that have bought the fighter from French manufacturer Dassault Aviation. India acknowledged aircraft losses but didn't say how many. French air force chief Gen. Jérôme Bellanger said that he's seen evidence pointing to just 3 Indian losses — a Rafale, a Russian-made Sukhoi and a Mirage 2000, which is an earlier generation French-made jet. It was the first known combat loss of a Rafale, which France has sold to eight countries.'Of course, all those, the nations that bought Rafales, asked themselves questions,' Bellanger said. French officials have been battling to protect the plane from reputational damage, pushing back against what they allege was a concerted campaign of Rafale-bashing and disinformation online from Pakistan and its ally China. They say the campaign included viral posts on social media, manipulated imagery showing supposed Rafale debris, AI-generated content and video-game depictions to simulate supposed combat. More than 1,000 social media accounts newly created as the India-Pakistan clashes erupted also spread a narrative of Chinese technological superiority, according to French researchers who specialize in online disinformation. French military officials say they haven't been able to link the online Rafale-bashing directly to the Chinese government. Intelligence assessment says Chinese officials lobbied potential clients to ditch French planes. But the French intelligence service said Chinese embassy defense attaches echoed the same narrative in meetings they held with security and defense officials from other countries, arguing that Indian Air Force Rafales performed poorly and promoting Chinese-made weaponry. The defense attaches focused their lobbying on countries that have ordered Rafales and other potential customer-nations that are considering purchases, the intelligence service said. It said French officials learned of the meetings from nations that were approached. Asked by AP to comment on the alleged effort to dent the Rafale's appeal, the Ministry of National Defense in Beijing said: 'The relevant claims are pure groundless rumors and slander. China has consistently maintained a prudent and responsible approach to military exports, playing a constructive role in regional and global peace and stability.' In recent years, China has stepped up disinformation campaigns on global social media platforms like X, Instagram or Facebook, using networks of state-sponsored influencers, sites that pose as news organizations, and fake social media accounts to spread narratives from Beijing. France's Defense Ministry said the Rafale was targeted by 'a vast campaign of disinformation' that 'sought to promote the superiority of alternative equipment, notably of Chinese design.' 'The Rafale was not randomly targeted. It is a highly capable fighter jet, exported abroad and deployed in a high-visibility theater,' the Defense Ministry wrote on its website. 'The Rafale was also targeted because it represents a strategic French offering. By attacking the aircraft, certain actors sought to undermine the credibility of France and its defense industrial and technological base. The disinformation campaign therefore did not merely target an aircraft, but more broadly a national image of strategic autonomy, industrial reliability, and solid partnerships.' Dassault Aviation has sold 533 Rafales, including 323 for export to Egypt, India, Qatar, Greece, Croatia, the United Arab Emirates, Serbia and Indonesia. Indonesia has ordered 42 planes and is considering buying more. China may be hoping to weaken the security relationships that France is building with Asian nations by spreading worries about the equipment it supplies, said Justin Bronk, an airpower specialist at the Royal United Services Institute, a defense and security think tank in London. 'From a point of view of limiting Western countries' influence in the Indo-Pacific, it would make sense for China to be using the performance of Pakistani weapon systems — or at least purported performance — in downing at least one Rafale as a tool to undermine its attractiveness as an export,' he said. 'They certainly saw an opportunity to damage French sales prospects in the region.'
News18
06-07-2025
- Politics
- News18
China Ran Campaign To Damage Rafale's Image After India-Pakistan Conflict: Report
Last Updated: India used Rafales during the May conflict with Pakistan, which was one of the most serious military exchanges between the two nuclear neighbours in years China orchestrated a campaign, using its embassies, to damage the reputation and sales of the French-made Rafale fighter jet following its combat debut during India's May clashes with Pakistan, according to French intelligence officials. As per the findings from a French intelligence service seen by the Associated Press, defence attaches at various Chinese embassies actively cast doubt upon the Rafale's combat performance. Their goal, officials say, was to convince existing buyers, such as Indonesia, not to buy more, and to persuade other potential customers to choose Chinese-made alternatives The Rafale, built by Dassault Aviation, is a key part of France's defence exports. It has been sold to eight countries and plays a major role in France's military partnerships, especially in Asia, where China is growing in influence. India used Rafales during the May conflict with Pakistan, which was one of the most serious military exchanges between the two nuclear neighbours in years. Pakistan later claimed it had downed five Indian aircraft, including three Rafales. India acknowledged losses but didn't confirm the numbers. French Air Force Chief Gen. Jérôme Bellanger said available evidence shows three Indian aircraft were lost: one Rafale, one Russian Sukhoi and one Mirage 2000, another French jet. It marked the first known combat loss of a Rafale. Following the clash, countries that operate Rafales began raising questions about the jet's combat performance. French officials say that a disinformation campaign—linked to both China and Pakistan—spread quickly online. This included fake videos, AI-generated content, and even video game footage made to look like real combat. Thousands of new social media accounts pushed the message that Chinese military technology was superior. French officials have not directly linked the online efforts to the Chinese government. However, French intelligence says Chinese embassy staff echoed the same narrative during meetings with defence officials in other countries, including those considering Rafale purchases. Beijing denied the allegations. China's defence ministry said the claims were 'groundless rumours and slander," insisting it maintains a responsible policy on arms exports. France's Defence Ministry responded by saying that Rafale was the target of a 'vast campaign of disinformation." The ministry added that the attack was not just against an aircraft but aimed at undermining France's defence credibility and industrial strength. Dassault has sold 533 Rafales globally, with 323 of them going to countries such as Egypt, India, the UAE, Greece, and Indonesia. Indonesia, which has already ordered 42 jets, is reportedly considering more. Experts say China's goal may be to weaken France's growing security ties in Asia. According to Justin Bronk, a military analyst at the Royal United Services Institute in London, the campaign was likely designed to limit Western influence in the Indo-Pacific and promote China's defence industry instead. 'They certainly saw an opportunity to damage French sales prospects in the region," Bronk said. (With inputs from AP) Location : France First Published:
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First Post
06-07-2025
- Politics
- First Post
After India-Pakistan clashes, China spread disinformation about Rafale jets, French intel says
French and Indian military officials have reviewed the outcome of the May clashes between India and Pakistan closely, especially focusing on how Pakistan's Chinese-supplied aircraft and missiles fared against India's use of Rafales read more China used its embassies to sow doubts about the performance of French-made Rafale fighter jets after they were used in combat during the India-Pakistan clashes in May, according to French military and intelligence officials. The effort, aimed at harming the reputation and sales of France's flagship fighter, was carried out through coordinated lobbying and disinformation, officials said. The Associated Press, citing a French intelligence service report, reported that it suggested defence attachés in Chinese embassies led efforts to dissuade countries– notably Indonesia– from buying additional Rafale jets, while urging potential buyers to consider Chinese-made aircraft instead. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The four-day confrontation in May between India and Pakistan involved dozens of aircraft and marked the most serious escalation between the nuclear-armed rivals in years. French and Indian military officials have since reviewed the outcome closely, especially focusing on how Pakistan's Chinese-supplied aircraft and missiles fared against India's use of Rafales in precision airstrikes on Pakistani territory. Rafale sales are a major component of France's defence industry and play a critical role in the country's efforts to build strategic partnerships, particularly in Asia, where China's influence is growing. Social media campaign and targeted diplomacy raise concerns Pakistan claimed its air force downed five Indian planes, including three Rafales, prompting questions about the aircraft's effectiveness from existing and prospective customers. India acknowledged losses but did not disclose the number of aircraft shot down. French air force chief Gen. Jérôme Bellanger said there was evidence of three losses: a Rafale, a Sukhoi and a Mirage 2000. 'Of course, all those, the nations that bought Rafales, asked themselves questions,' Bellanger said. France has since moved to defend the Rafale's reputation amid what officials describe as a calculated disinformation campaign by Pakistan and its ally China. French authorities say manipulated images, AI-generated content, and even video-game footage were used online to simulate damage to Rafale jets. Over 1,000 newly created social media accounts spread messages highlighting Chinese technological superiority, according to researchers who track online disinformation. While French officials have not directly linked the online campaign to the Chinese government, the intelligence service reported that Chinese defence attachés reinforced the same anti-Rafale narrative during meetings with foreign defence officials. These attachés allegedly lobbied countries that had bought Rafales or were considering doing so, repeating claims about the jet's poor performance in India. Asked by AP about the allegations, China's Ministry of National Defense said: 'The relevant claims are pure groundless rumours and slander. China has consistently maintained a prudent and responsible approach to military exports, playing a constructive role in regional and global peace and stability.' France's Defence Ministry responded by acknowledging 'a vast campaign of disinformation' that it said targeted the Rafale and aimed to promote Chinese alternatives. 'The Rafale was not randomly targeted. It is a highly capable fighter jet, exported abroad and deployed in a high-visibility theatre,' the ministry stated. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The ministry also stressed the broader implications of the campaign: 'By attacking the aircraft, certain actors sought to undermine the credibility of France and its defence industrial and technological base.' Dassault Aviation has sold 533 Rafales, with 323 exported to countries including Egypt, India, Qatar, Greece, Croatia, the United Arab Emirates, Serbia, and Indonesia. Indonesia, which has ordered 42 Rafales, is now reportedly re-evaluating its options. Justin Bronk, an airpower expert at the Royal United Services Institute in London, said China could be leveraging Pakistan's performance in the May clashes to damage Rafale's export prospects. 'They certainly saw an opportunity to damage French sales prospects in the region,' he said. 'From a point of view of limiting Western countries' influence in the Indo-Pacific, it would make sense for China to be using the performance of Pakistani weapon systems — or at least purported performance — in downing at least one Rafale as a tool to undermine its attractiveness as an export,' Bronk added. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With inputs from agencies
San Francisco Chronicle
06-07-2025
- Business
- San Francisco Chronicle
French intelligence: China used embassies to undermine sales of France's flagship Rafale fighter jet
PARIS (AP) — China deployed its embassies to spread doubts about the performance of French-made Rafale jets after they saw combat in India and Pakistan's clashes in May, French military and intelligence officials have concluded, implicating Beijing in an effort to hammer the reputation and sales of France's flagship fighter. Findings from a French intelligence service seen by The Associated Press say defense attaches in China's foreign embassies led a charge to undermine Rafale sales, seeking to persuade countries that have already ordered the French-made fighter — notably Indonesia — not to buy more and to encourage other potential buyers to choose Chinese-made planes. The findings were shared with AP by a French military official on condition that the official and the intelligence service not be named. Four days of India-Pakistan clashes in May were the most serious confrontation in years between the two nuclear-armed neighbors, and included air combat that involved dozens of aircraft from both sides. Military officials and researchers have since been digging for details of how Pakistan's Chinese-made military hardware — particularly warplanes and air-combat missiles — fared against weaponry that India used in airstrikes on Pakistani targets, notably French-made Rafale fighters. Sales of Rafales and other armaments are big business for France's defense industry and help efforts by the government in Paris to strengthen ties with other nations, including in Asia where China is becoming the dominant regional power. France is fighting what it calls a disinformation campaign against the Rafale Pakistan claimed its air force downed five Indian planes during the fighting, including three Rafales. French officials say that prompted questions about their performance from countries that have bought the fighter from French manufacturer Dassault Aviation. India acknowledged aircraft losses but didn't say how many. French air force chief Gen. Jérôme Bellanger said that he's seen evidence pointing to just 3 Indian losses — a Rafale, a Russian-made Sukhoi and a Mirage 2000, which is an earlier generation French-made jet. It was the first known combat loss of a Rafale, which France has sold to eight countries. 'Of course, all those, the nations that bought Rafales, asked themselves questions,' Bellanger said. French officials have been battling to protect the plane from reputational damage, pushing back against what they allege was a concerted campaign of Rafale-bashing and disinformation online from Pakistan and its ally China. They say the campaign included viral posts on social media, manipulated imagery showing supposed Rafale debris, AI-generated content and video-game depictions to simulate supposed combat. More than 1,000 social media accounts newly created as the India-Pakistan clashes erupted also spread a narrative of Chinese technological superiority, according to French researchers who specialize in online disinformation. French military officials say they haven't been able to link the online Rafale-bashing directly to the Chinese government. Intelligence assessment says Chinese officials lobbied potential clients to ditch French planes But the French intelligence service said Chinese embassy defense attaches echoed the same narrative in meetings they held with security and defense officials from other countries, arguing that Indian Air Force Rafales performed poorly and promoting Chinese-made weaponry. The defense attaches focused their lobbying on countries that have ordered Rafales and other potential customer-nations that are considering purchases, the intelligence service said. It said French officials learned of the meetings from nations that were approached. Asked by AP to comment on the alleged effort to dent the Rafale's appeal, the Ministry of National Defense in Beijing said: 'The relevant claims are pure groundless rumors and slander. China has consistently maintained a prudent and responsible approach to military exports, playing a constructive role in regional and global peace and stability.' In recent years, China has stepped up disinformation campaigns on global social media platforms like X, Instagram or Facebook, using networks of state-sponsored influencers, sites that pose as news organizations, and fake social media accounts to spread narratives from Beijing. France's Defense Ministry said the Rafale was targeted by 'a vast campaign of disinformation" that 'sought to promote the superiority of alternative equipment, notably of Chinese design.' France considers the jet a 'strategic French offering' "The Rafale was not randomly targeted. It is a highly capable fighter jet, exported abroad and deployed in a high-visibility theater," the Defense Ministry wrote on its website. 'The Rafale was also targeted because it represents a strategic French offering. By attacking the aircraft, certain actors sought to undermine the credibility of France and its defense industrial and technological base. The disinformation campaign therefore did not merely target an aircraft, but more broadly a national image of strategic autonomy, industrial reliability, and solid partnerships.' Dassault Aviation has sold 533 Rafales, including 323 for export to Egypt, India, Qatar, Greece, Croatia, the United Arab Emirates, Serbia and Indonesia. Indonesia has ordered 42 planes and is considering buying more. China may be hoping to weaken the security relationships that France is building with Asian nations by spreading worries about the equipment it supplies, said Justin Bronk, an airpower specialist at the Royal United Services Institute, a defense and security think tank in London. 'From a point of view of limiting Western countries' influence in the Indo-Pacific, it would make sense for China to be using the performance of Pakistani weapon systems — or at least purported performance — in downing at least one Rafale as a tool to undermine its attractiveness as an export,' he said.
