Breaking the Circle: Chinese Communist Party Propaganda Infrastructure Rapidly Expands

China has rapidly expanded International Communication Centers (ICCs) to centralize and scale overseas propaganda and “precise communication,” leveraging inauthentic social media amplification, foreign influencers, and partnerships with overseas media to shape global narratives and target specific audiences (e.g., Taiwanese users on TikTok and YouTube). Despite limitations in credibility, talent, data, and funding, ICCs coordinate provincial and state media resources to push political and economic messaging and are positioned to amplify pro-CCP narratives during crises; researchers and governments are urged to monitor ICC activities and promote transparent state-affiliation labeling on platforms.