China could be undermining Taiwanese democracy with online propaganda
AP News reports that the Taipei government is accusing Beijing of redoubling its efforts to undermine Taiwan’s democratic government through the use of online misinformation.
According to Taiwan’s National Bureau of Statistics, the number of false or biased information distributed by the People’s Republic of China went up 60% in 2024.
In other words, pieces counted as propaganda by the Taiwanese government went from 1.33 million in 2023 to 2.16 million in the span of a single year.
ABC News remarks that the Taiwanese government didn’t explain at the time exactly what parameters used to define them as pro-Beijing content.
Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) were described as the main tools used by the People’s Republic of China to spread its propaganda into the Taiwanese population.
Among the strategies allegedly used by Beijing, ABC News cites fake accounts to share content on YouTube, using AI to create fake videos, and flood online comment sections with pro-China statements.
According to AP News, Beijing has a considerable influence over Taiwanese newspapers and traditional media, due to business interests.
The Beijing government regards the island of Taiwan, a region in rebellion since the end of the Chinese Civil War, in which the Communists took power and forced the Nationalists to retreat into the island.
Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te stated, during this new year’s address, that the island nation would continue to stand and defense itself against the growing Chinese threat.
Lai described Taiwan as a “line of defense of democracy” against authoritarian states such as China, Russia, and North Korea, AP News highlights.