CNN accused of running Chinese propaganda after boosting country's COVID vaccination rates provided by China

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Media top headlines June 18

Joe Rogan torching CNN's Brian Stelter, Democratic Senator Raphael Warnock claiming no one opposes voter ID, and an NBC reporter complaining about parents demands for transparency regarding critical race theory round out today's top media headlines

CNN is being dubbed the "China News Network" for publishing a report that boasted of the country's coronavirus vaccination rates … according to data provided by China. 

A piece published on Friday raised eyebrows with the headline, "China's about to administer its billionth coronavirus shot. Yes, you read that right."

"Within days, China will reach a staggering 1 billion doses in its Covid-19 vaccination drive -- a scale and speed unrivaled by any other country in the world," CNN began its report. "As of Wednesday, China had administered more than 945 million doses -- three times the number delivered in the United States, and almost 40% of the 2.5 billion shots given globally."

CNN ACCUSED OF ‘LITERALLY PUBLISHING CHINESE PROPAGANDA’

CNN cites "data from China's National Health Commission" that alleged that in the month of May alone that over "500 million shots" were given.

(CNN)

CNN also celebrated China's ability to contain COVID despite being the pandemic's country of origin, writing "Due to China's successful containment of the coronavirus, many residents initially saw little urgency in getting vaccinated."

"For those still reluctant, China has a powerful tool in its arsenal: a top-down, one-party system that is all-encompassing in reach and forceful in action, and a sprawling bureaucracy that can be swiftly mobilized," CNN wrote. "The top-down approach has been touted by officials as a strength of the Chinese system that helped curb the virus -- and has again been deployed to accelerate inoculations."

CNN does not provide any data about the efficacy of China's own developed vaccine. 

CNN REPORTER ACCUSED OF PUSHING CHINESE PROPAGANDA BY COMPARING HONG KONG PROTESTERS TO CAPITOL RIOTERS

The report, which was written by two CNN journalists based in Hong Kong, is apparently tied to a newsletter being rolled out by CNN this month called "Meanwhile in China," which was described in the editor's note at the top of the article as "a three-times-a-week update exploring what you need to know about the country's rise and how it impacts the world."

CNN shared the report on Twitter, writing "Within days, China will reach a staggering 1 billion doses in its Covid-19 vaccination drive -- a scale and speed unrivaled by any other country in the world."

(CNN)

Critics slammed the liberal news organization for taking the CCP at its word despite the dishonesty that came from the communist nation regarding the outbreak of the virus. 

"China News Network pumping out the propaganda for the CCP," NewsBusters news analyst Nicholas Fondacaro reacted.

"given the data comes from China's National Health Commission, i totally believe it. i really do," Washington Examiner commentator T. Becket Adams sarcastically wrote. 

"1.) Their vaccines don't work 2.) Their numbers are as trustworthy as Tom Cruise's self-account of his height. Beyond that, good for republishing CCP propaganda as a news story," National Review's Jeffrey Blehar tweeted.

CNN MOCKED FOR REPORT TYING COVID ORIGINS TO CHINA AFTER ‘PARROTING CCP TALKING POINTS’ FOR 10 MONTHS

"from the country that brought you "yeah, the coronavirus came from someone eating bat soup in a wet market" comes.." Habibi Bros co-host Siraj Hashmi wrote. 

"What is it with journalists and running CCP talking points as news?" asked Omri Ceren, national security adviser to Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Tx. 

"CNN: Bow in [reverence] to our Chinese betters!" Grabien Media founder and news editor Tom Elliott mocked the network.

"this is indistinguishable from propaganda. in fact, even the CCP itself acknowledged that their vaccines have massive efficacy issues. but CNN is happy to whitewash that fact away for them," Washington Examiner deputy editor Grant Addison said. 

This isn't the first time CNN was accused of running Chinese propaganda. In April 2020, in the early months of the pandemic, CNN ran an article about China People's Liberation Army (PLA) supposedly having a foothold in the spread of the coronavirus in a branch of its military, running the headline, "China's PLA Navy is controlling coronavirus and aircraft carrier's deployment proves it, report says."

However, that report came from the Chinese state-run tabloid Global Times.

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Following the intense backlash, CNN updated the piece with a new headline, "Chinese state media claims country's navy is not affected by coronavirus."

In addition, the article included this editor's note: "This story has been updated to include Pentagon reaction and recent developments in the Western Pacific."