A “significant state-backed” social media operation is being used by China to cause further unrest in Hong Kong.

Twitter has disclosed information on the Chinese operation, revealing  936 accounts originating from within the People’s Republic of China were being used to escalate the volatile situation in the Chinese sovereignty.

“These accounts were deliberately and specifically attempting to sow political discord in Hong Kong, including undermining the legitimacy and political positions of the protest movement on the ground,” twitter said in a statement.

“Based on our intensive investigations, we have reliable evidence to support that this is a coordinated state-backed operation.

“Specifically, we identified large clusters of accounts behaving in a coordinated manner to amplify messages related to the Hong Kong protests.”

Twitter said it had suspended the accounts.

Facebook meanwhile has also confirmed it shut down five accounts, seven pages, and three groups, some of which had attracted a significant following.