« Go back The IAI Report on Chinese Digital Influence in Italy
We directly attended the webinar “China and the Information Environment in Italy,” organized by the Institute of International Affairs (IAI). The event served to present a preview of the results of the report “Chinese Propaganda and the Information Environment in Italy,” a detailed analysis conducted between 2024 and 2025 on Beijing's communication dynamics within our country. Utilizing advanced monitoring tools like Logically AI, the research analyzed data flow on social media and messaging apps to map narratives attempting to influence Italian public opinion on themes of global security and cooperation.
Methodology and Rigor: Beyond Disinformation
The report, illustrated by IAI experts, stands out for its rigorous analytical approach: while monitoring so-called Coordinated Inauthentic Behavior (CIB), researchers highlighted the absence of structured manipulation or explicit disinformation (FIMI) in the analyzed sample. The focus shifted to the quality of the narratives and their ability to insert themselves into the national debate, polarizing positions on three strategic pillars: de-risking strategies, the rise of Brics Plus, and the role of Nato.
Clash of Models: Fragmentation vs. Expansion
The IAI analysis, discussed during the webinar, highlights a world divided between two opposing visions. On one hand, the narrative of a declining Western order, marked by the uncertainties of "Trumponomics" and trade tensions within the European Union (such as the investigation into subsidies for Chinese electric vehicle manufacturers, including BYD). On the other hand, the "new momentum" led by China, presenting the Brics Plus group as a necessary multipolar alternative to balance US hegemony.
Hot Topics: Italy Between Rome and Beijing
The discussion, moderated by journalist Giulia Pompili and enriched by interventions from Riccardo Alcaro, Aurelio Insisa, and Francesca Maremonti, touched upon critical points for national interest:
- De-risking: Italy's need to diversify markets to protect exports from retaliation and tariffs between the USA and China.
- Security and Nato: The Russian and Chinese narrative interpreting Nato's eastward expansion as the cause of conflicts, opposed to the vision of Atlantic collective security.
- Rare Earths: China's justification for export controls as measures of environmental protection and national security.
Strategic Conclusions
Our participation in the webinar clearly shows that the information environment has become a genuine geopolitical battlefield. For Italy, understanding these dynamics is essential not only for national security but also for the economic stability of a productive system navigating increasing trade frictions and the ambitions of new international blocs.