Pressured by China, E.U. Softens Report on Covid-19 Disinformation

Pressured by China, E.U. Softens Report on Covid-19 Disinformation

Read More at the New York Times

BRUSSELS — Bowing to heavy pressure from Beijing, European Union officials softened their criticism of China this week in a report documenting how governments push disinformation about the coronavirus pandemic, according to documents, emails and interviews.

Worried about the repercussions, European officials first delayed and then rewrote the document in ways that diluted the focus on China, a vital trading partner — taking a very different approach than the confrontational stance adopted by the Trump administration.