Chinese diplomat's tweetstorm could mark start of Beijing's push on foreign social media: Experts

Foreign social media platforms, such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, are blocked by China's Great Firewall. ST PHOTO: JOYCE FANG
New: Gift this subscriber-only story to your friends and family

BEIJING - Chinese officials are not known to air their views publicly on social media, so when diplomat Zhao Lijian launched a "tweetstorm" this week (July 14-15) on social and political issues in the United States, China watchers took notice.

Mr Zhao, the second-ranking Chinese diplomat in Pakistan, was defending China's treatment of Uighurs in Xinjiang, when he criticised the US, pointing to what he called "racial segregation" in the country.

Already a subscriber? 

Read the full story and more at $9.90/month

Get exclusive reports and insights with more than 500 subscriber-only articles every month

Unlock these benefits

  • All subscriber-only content on ST app and straitstimes.com

  • Easy access any time via ST app on 1 mobile device

  • E-paper with 2-week archive so you won't miss out on content that matters to you

Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.