Pro-Beijing online campaign targets US-based Xinjiang researcher, cybersecurity firm says

HONG KONG — A pro-Beijing online propaganda campaign has used fake websites and social media posts to try to discredit a prominent German anthropologist who has been investigating China's crackdown on Muslims, cybersecurity researchers said. The activity, which dates back to last year and is still ongoing, is part of a complex effort to spread pro-Chinese stories using more than 70 suspected inauthentic news websites in 11 languages, all linked to a Chinese PR firm. , according to a new report made public Thursday by the US-based cybersecurity firm Mandiant Inc. .