China embassies used as bases to undermine France’s Rafale jets
PARIS—China deployed its embassies to spread doubts about the French-made Rafale jets after they saw combat in India and Pakistan’s clashes in May, French military and intelligence officials have concluded, implicating Beijing in an effort to hammer the reputation and sales of France’s flagship fighter.
Findings from a French intelligence service seen by The Associated Press (AP)say defense attachés in China’s foreign embassies led a charge to undermine Rafale sales, seeking to persuade countries that have ordered the French-made fighter—notably Indonesia—not to buy more and to encourage other potential buyers to choose Chinese-made planes.
The findings were shared with AP by a French military official on condition that the official and the intelligence service not be named.
Big business
Four days of India-Pakistan clashes in May included air combat that involved dozens of aircraft from both sides.
Military officials and researchers have since been digging for details of how Pakistan’s Chinese-made military hardware—particularly warplanes and air-combat missiles—fared against weaponry that India used in airstrikes on Pakistani targets, notably French-made Rafale fighters.
Sales of Rafales and other armaments are big business for France’s defense industry and help efforts by the government in Paris to strengthen ties with other nations.
Pakistan claimed its air force downed five Indian planes during the fighting, including three Rafales.
It was the first known combat loss of a Rafale, which France has sold to eight countries.
French officials have been battling to protect the plane from reputational damage, pushing back against what they allege was a concerted campaign of Rafale-bashing and disinformation online from Pakistan and its ally China.
They say the campaign included viral posts on social media, manipulated imagery showing supposed Rafale debris, AI-generated content and video-game depictions to simulate supposed combat.
No direct link
French military officials say they haven’t been able to link the online Rafale-bashing directly to the Chinese government. But the French intelligence service said Chinese Embassy defense attachés echoed the same narrative in meetings they held with security and defense officials from other countries, arguing that Indian Air Force Rafales performed poorly and promoting Chinese-made weaponry.
The defense attachés focused their lobbying on countries that have ordered Rafales and other potential customer-nations that are considering purchases, the intelligence service said. It said French officials learned of the meetings from nations that were approached.
Asked by AP to comment, the Ministry of National Defense in Beijing said: “The relevant claims are pure groundless rumors and slander. China has consistently maintained a prudent and responsible approach to military exports, playing a constructive role in regional and global peace and stability.”
