How China uses soft power to exert influence in Ireland

A security guard stands near a sculpture of the Chinese Communist Party flag at the Museum of the Communist Party of China in Beijing. Photograph: Ng Han Guan/AP Following recent revelations of the China Targets project - an investigation by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) involving 42 media partners, including The Irish Times - of Chinese party-state interference activities in Ireland, the discreet, highly impactful influence activities of the party state with regard to Irish citizens also deserve attention. At the core of party-state influencing is the Chinese Communist Party's United Front Work Department (UFWD). This is a…