A pro-Chinese reporter was able to gain access to the White House press conference and ask questions directly to President Trump. The reporter from Hongkong-based media outlet Phoenix TV started by saying that Chinese companies like Huawei have given plenty of medical supplies to the United States as donations for helping the country fight the growing pandemic. The president noted that it was not a question but more of a statement, and then he mentioned the trade deficit between the US and China, which he is trying to address.

The female reporter interrupted him to finally ask a question. “Are you cooperating with China?” That seems to have triggered the president, who asked the reporter in turn. “Who are you working for, China?” When the reporter answered that she works for Phoenix TV, the president pressed on and asked if that was owned by China or if the state owned it. The reporter said that it was a private company.

While Phoenix TV is a private company and based in Hongkong, the content it publishes is seen to be sympathetic to the communist Chinese regime. It is regarded by many as a semi-official news outlet that has extensive links to the state security apparatus of China. A think-tank in 2017 published a report which revealed that a former military officer from China owns the outlet.

The report also stated that Phoenix TV’s coverage had been most favorable to the Chinese Communist Party. It has even aired the confessions of known critics of the communist party. The most prominent confession are those of the booksellers based in Hongkong who were abducted by Chinese state security forces.

The Chinese media has been trying to emphasize and hype the aid that it has been sending out to other countries. The Chinese government is using it as a means to cover up its failure in disclosing crucial information regarding the coronavirus when they first discovered it. Chinese propaganda is also using American media outlets. For example, the Chinese ambassador to the US was allowed to write an op-ed for the New York Times, which highlighted aid given by China. The White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA), which controls which reporters will gain access to the White House, faced a backlash for allowing the Phoenix TV reporter to join the briefing.