Taiwan warns internet influencers about China

According to Taiwanese agency CNA, the Mainland Relations Council said in a statement that receiving funding or instructions from China for propaganda activities may violate national security laws.

The statement said, "Under the Foreign Infiltration Prevention Act, it is prohibited to receive instructions, commissions, or funds from hostile foreign powers for activities aimed at disrupting social order, spreading false information, and interfering in elections."

"COGNITIVE WARFARE" AGAINST TAIWAN

The statement reminded that it is illegal to cooperate with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) without the approval of Taiwanese authorities and emphasized that internet celebrities are an important part of the CCP's "cognitive warfare" activities against Taiwan and that this threat should be taken seriously.

Minister of Culture Lee Yuan also stated that the Taiwanese people should appreciate the value of their hard-won freedom of expression and that his ministry would not seek to restrict freedom of expression, but that if an internet celebrity makes statements that are contrary to the laws governing Taiwan-China relations, they would discuss with the Mainland Relations Council what to do about it.

A VIDEO BRINGS THE TOPIC

The claim that China is involved in online influence activities related to Taiwan came to the fore with a video posted by a Taiwanese YouTube phenomenon named Pa Chiung on December 6. The video, which includes an interview with Taiwanese Chen Po-yuan, explains that while working with Chinese agencies to promote his music in mainland China, Chen realized that he was being used as a tool for propaganda activities.

In the video, Pa also pretends to be a pro-China social media content producer and speaks on the phone with an alleged editor of a media outlet in China. The person in question tells Chen that they can "provide him with resources" if they cooperate and gives the example of another Taiwanese phenomenon with 1.25 million followers on YouTube.

Taiwan, which China claims is part of its territory, has had de facto independence since 1949. The separation and sovereignty dispute between mainland China and Taiwan, which emerged after the civil war, continues.