A retired editor from one of Canada's leading Chinese-language newspapers has raised alarms about the dominance of Chinese Communist Party influence over local ethnic media. Blacklock's Reporter says Victor Ho, who served as the Vancouver editor of Sing Tao Daily for 13 years, testified before the Commission on Foreign Interference, warning that Chinese media in Canada, especially those targeting recent immigrants, have long been under the sway of Beijing's agenda.“The majority of local Chinese media have been influenced, if not outright controlled, by the Chinese Communist Party for years,” said Ho. He pointed out that Chinese Canadians, particularly newcomers from mainland China, have been "caught in the crosshairs of political discourse, disinformation, and propaganda originating from the Chinese Communist Party."According to Ho, the manipulation extends beyond editorial control.“Does the Chinese Communist Party try to control media content? No, they control the boss,” he explained. “They control the owner. They control the proprietor.” With local publishers often operating on tight budgets, Ho said they are incentivized to “do the ‘right thing’” to secure revenue streams, including advertisements encouraged by the Chinese Consulate. “The Consul General will hint local advertisers should put more ads in your paper,” he added. “Otherwise you will lose a lot of money.”The ethnic press, according to testimony from columnist and radio host Ronald Leung, is particularly vulnerable to financial coercion. “Ethnic media operate on a shoestring budget,” said Leung, emphasizing their reliance on advertising. He also drew comparisons to the suppression of dissent in China, noting that Chinese-language media in Canada often reflect a one-sided narrative that mirrors the official Chinese government stance.“In China, we know people are not allowed to dissent,” said Leung. “You must all repeat the same narrative from the government. It is like that in the Chinese community [in Canada]. Only a very, very small percentage of people will have a different opinion.”Leung further questioned the silence of Chinese Canadian MPs on issues concerning China-Canada relations. “We have so many MPs from the Chinese community,” he said. “Why are they still silent? When an issue comes up in the House of Commons related to Canada-China relations or conflicts, why are our MPs from those ethnic backgrounds kept silent?”Leung also admitted to practicing self-censorship in his radio broadcasts to avoid crossing Beijing's "red lines." "I exercise care," Leung said. "If I cross those red lines, I don’t think I can continue to do my job."
