Is this video proof that China’s army will attack NATO to defend Russia? Nope.
A video showing Chinese President Xi Jinping giving a speech to the Chinese armed forces has been going viral on social media since mid-March. The accounts that are sharing this footage say that it offers proof that China is ready to deploy its army if the United States and NATO attack Russia. But it turns out that the video was filmed six years ago.
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A video showing Chinese President Xi Jinping giving a speech to China’s armed forces, the People’s Liberation Army, went viral in mid-March. The accounts that shared it said that the footage provided proof that China’s army was ready to respond if the United States or the countries united under the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, or NATO, attack Russia.
However, it turns out that this video was taken out of context. When we did a keyword search, we realised that it was posted online for the first time six years ago – and Xi made no mention of Russia or NATO.
The fact-check, in detail
A video showing Chinese President Xi Jinping giving a speech in front of rows and rows of China’s armed forces, the People’s Liberation Army, has had hundreds of thousands of views on Facebook, Instagram and X since it started circulating in mid-March 2024.
"China is ready to intervene militarily anywhere if the United States or NATO decide to attack Russia,” the post quoted the spokesperson for the Chinese defence ministry as saying.
AFP reported that this fake news item had been circulating for at least two years.
