Chinese state media is flooding Facebook and Instagram with undisclosed political adverts whitewashing its role in the coronavirus pandemic and pinning blame on Donald Trump.

Three official news outlets – Xinhua, China Central Television and the Global Times – have targeted users across the world with promoted stories in English, Chinese and Arabic.

The ads, seen millions of times, extolled China’s efforts against Covid-19, downplayed its domestic outbreak, depicted Mr Trump as misguided and racist, and suggested that the virus might have originated in the US.

Yet all of them initially ran without a political disclaimer, allowing them to hide information about who they were targeting and sometimes letting them sidestep Facebook’s strict rules on political advertising.

It comes as the company struggles with severe temporary cutbacks in its content moderation staff, many of whom have been sent home on full pay to avoid infection.

“[China] has taken stringent and forceful measures, and turned the tide on coronavirus,” said one ad. “Trump’s disruption to China has severe consequences,” warned another.

Several focused on Mr Trump's insistence on using the term "Chinese virus", which has also been criticised by many Americans, while others highlighted uplifting statements by China's president, Xi Jinping. One trumpeted the potential role of traditional Chinese medicine.