Vietnam Framed Villain, China Not Found: Influence Ops on Repeat

In this week's blog, we examine a case study published by the Philippine newspaper PhilStar.[i] The report analyzes a coordinated hostile digital influence (HDI) campaign on X (formerly Twitter) and illustrates how information operations are deployed in the context of the South China Sea dispute. 

Geopolitical Background 

The Philippines, Vietnam, and China have long been locked in disputes over islands and reefs in the South China Sea. China has reinforced its claims through large-scale land reclamation and a strong military presence.  The Philippines has responded by seeking support through alliances, closer ties with Western partners, and increasingly through cooperation with neighboring states.[ii] 

Vietnam, in particular, has recently drawn closer to Manila, as the two countries have established a strategic partnership, launched joint coast guard exercises, and set up direct lines of communication. These developments risk isolating China. That is why Beijing has a strong incentive to sow mistrust between Manila and Hanoi and push narratives portraying Vietnam as the problem. 

The Influence Campaign 

Against this backdrop, PhilStar investigated a botnet of 71 fake accounts on X. Between November 2024 and June 2025, these accounts generated nearly 1,000 posts, often within seconds of each other and using near-identical wording. The central narrative was consistent: Vietnam is the main aggressor in the South China Sea, responsible for environmental destruction and instability.  China’s significantly larger activities in the South China Sea are absent from the posts. Yet although China is never directly mentioned, many of the messages rely on narratives drawn from Chinese state media. 

Example of posts framing Vietnam, courtesy of Philstar and Geraldine Santos. [iii]

At the same time, part of the network also circulated pro-Duterte and anti-Marcos narratives, inserting the operation into the domestic Philippine political debate. 

The technical characteristics include accounts with no followers, AI-generated profile pictures, generic naming conventions, and automated copy-paste posting. Particularly notable is the link to a Russian SMM panel [iv], a service that sells bulk bot and fake accounts. In the review of the case study, a researcher pointed out [v] that the campaign’s methods and resources mirror those commonly linked to Spamouflage networks [vi] (for more background, find our earlier blog post on Spamouflage here). 

The operation’s messaging appears to serve a dual purpose: externally, it reframes Vietnam as the aggressor in the South China Sea; internally, it reinforces pro-Duterte and anti-Marcos narratives, embedding itself in the Philippine political debate. The campaign reflects strategic interests attributed to China, particularly the aim of undermining cooperation among littoral states. By fostering distrust toward Vietnam and deepening domestic political divisions, it appears to be designed to weaken coordination among claimant countries. The case study notes that the goal is not reach but long-term influence, with narratives gradually shaping regional perception. 

According to the Philstar article, a spokesperson for the Armed Forces of the Philippines described the hostile campaign as a “national security concern", warning that it distorts public understanding and shifts attention away from maritime developments. [vii]

Conclusion

PhilStar’s case study provides a technically detailed account of a coordinated HDI campaign, highlighting its tactics, structure, and execution. It illustrates how hostile influence is used to disrupt regional coordination, advancing strategic interests attributed to China. 

PhilStar has emerged as a useful source in this context, regularly reporting on HDI operations in Southeast Asia.  

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[Footnotes:]

[i] Philstar, Cristina Chi, 2025. Copypasta army: Vietnam smeared by bots backing Duterte on X. [online] Published 25 August 2025. Available at: https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2025/08/25/2466374/copypasta-army-vietnam-smeared-bots-backing-duterte-x

[ii] Reuters, Mikhail Flores, 2024. Philippines, Vietnam boost military ties amid South China Sea tensions. [online] Published 30 August 2024. Available at: https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/philippines-vietnam-sign-defence-agreement-2024-08-30 

[iii] Philstar, Cristina Chi, 2025. Copypasta army: Vietnam smeared by bots backing Duterte on X. [online] Published 25 August 2025. Available at: https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2025/08/25/2466374/copypasta-army-vietnam-smeared-bots-backing-duterte-x .

[iv] An SMM panel: is an online platform that provides social media marketing services such as likes, followers, comments or views through an automated dashboard to boost reach, visibility and engagement. 

[v] Bangag — Tagalog (Philippines) slang for “high” or intoxicated, typically used to imply drug use.

[vi]Spamouflage is a portmanteau of spam and camouflage. The term refers to pro-China influence operations that use swarms of bot and spam accounts to amplify state-aligned narratives and obscure criticism of Beijing.

[vii] Philstar, Cristina Chi, 2025. Copypasta army: Vietnam smeared by bots backing Duterte on X. [online] Published 25 August 2025. Available at: https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2025/08/25/2466374/copypasta-army-vietnam-smeared-bots-backing-duterte-x. 

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