近日，郭杰瑞在接受《中国日报》专访时透露，他决定停止更新的原因之一，是三家美国政府资助机构指责他为“中国的宣传工具”，这对他产生了很大的影响。这些机构话术一致，都将矛头指向了他在疫情期间拍摄的视频。

Jerry Kowal, or Guo Jierui, a US vlogger on Chinese social media known for his videos about life in China and the United States, said he has stopped uploading content following allegations by some US government-funded entities that he has been peddling "Chinese propaganda".

“There are now three US government-funded entities all saying the same thing about me, about my COVID-related content,” said Kowal in an interview with China Daily.

The content that Kowal produces is mainly related to topics like food, travel and cultural exchanges between China and the United States. His videos have amassed over 20 million subscribers across Chinese social media platforms since 2017. 

But as pandemic travel restrictions stopped him from focusing on such topics, Kowal shifted his focus to people’s views on COVID and the medical conditions in the two countries. He believes that this shift in topic is what has drawn increased scrutiny from the US.

郭杰瑞表示，关于他是“中国的宣传工具”的指控主要来自三个机构：自由亚洲电台（RFA）、美国之音（VOA）和澳大利亚战略政策研究所（ASPI）。

Kowal said the accusations that he is spreading "Chinese propaganda" have come mainly from three organizations: Radio Free Asia (RFA), Voice of America (VOA), and the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI).

RFA is a US government news outlet which wrote two critical stories about Kowal in 2020 and 2023. Kowal said RFA has never reached out for comment.

郭杰瑞透露美国之音曾想找他合作，提出想到他家去拍摄，希望他为美国之音计划在油管频道新开的一档节目提供内容。

对此他并不感兴趣：“如果他们真认为我是‘中国的宣传工具’，为什么要找我合作？这没有道理！”

VOA is like a sister network of RFA that is funded by a US government agency called USAGM. 

Kowal said VOA had reached out before with a proposal for him to provide content for a new social media channel named “Plus One”.

“Why would they want to cooperate with me if they really think I'm producing Chinese propaganda? It doesn't really make any sense,” said Kowal.

郭杰瑞指出，澳大利亚战略政策研究所发布了一份研究报告，其中提及他39次，和自由亚洲电台以及美国之音一样，称他为“中国的宣传工具”。然而，该智库并未提供任何实证支持这一观点。

Kowal said ASPI had written a research report in which he was cited 39 times and described as “Chinese propaganda”. However, the institute provided no evidence to back up this claim.

不为人所熟知的是，这个智库从美国政府获得不菲的资金，该报告最初发布时甚至标注了“该报告由美国国务院赞助”的字眼，但这句说明随后被删除。

“如果一个拿了美国政府数百万资金的智库会犯这种粗心的错误，谁知道他们在做报告时是否也会犯一些其他‘粗心的错误’呢”？

Kowal noted that when ASPI initially released this report, the institute had stated that “funding for the report was provided by the US State Department”. The institute later removed this sentence, claiming it was a mistake. 

“For an organization that receives millions of dollars in government funding, it's hard to believe that they would make such a careless mistake. But let's say they did make that careless mistake - what other careless mistakes did they make with the research?” said Kowal.

郭杰瑞还发现澳大利亚战略政策研究所的报告是在其分析师赴美国国会就相关议题出席听证会五天前发布的。

郭杰瑞说他曾担任过美国国会实习生，了解其运作的门道。他认为报告推出的时间点非常巧妙——这有助于该智库争取国会中的盟友，从而为其未来获得美国政府更多的资金支持铺路。

Kowal, who was formerly a congressional intern, noted that ASPI's report was published just five days before an analyst testified about similar issues at a Congressional hearing. 

“这些指控对我的工作和我个人是一种侮辱。我拍给大家看的都是事实，仅此而已，”郭杰瑞说。去年12月6日，他向美国国务院发了一封公开信，呼吁不要向这些攻击美国公民的机构提供资金支持。

“It’s really insulting to our work. It’s really insulting to me. I filmed the truth, and I showed people what I was seeing, and nothing more,” said Kowal about the accusations.

In an open letter to the US State Department on Dec 6, Kowal called for a stop to using American money to fund an organization that attacks American citizens like him.

郭杰瑞表示，未来他有意继续视频创作，用英语拍摄一些和中国、美国以及其他国家相关的积极内容。“如果中美携手，我们能解决很多问题，但首先要和平相处。我也愿意为这个目标而努力，不管是接下来的几年时间，甚至是一辈子。”

Kowal said that he may consider resuming making video content about China, the United States and other countries in English, but only positive content.  “I really really want to promote positive dialogue in this world,” he said.

“If the US and China could work together, we can solve so many issues. I mean that really starts with us getting along, and that’s something that I really wanna devote to in the next few years, or my life too,” Kowal added.