The deputy head of Taiwan’s National Security Bureau, Chen Wen-fan, says that Taiwan should join with countries that share its values in the fight against fake news. Chen was speaking at the Jamestown Foundation, a think tank based in Washington, DC.
On Tuesday, Chen gave a presentation at the think tank on China’s efforts to influence Taiwan’s affairs. Chen said that in 2017, the Chinese government set up a working group dedicated to swaying Taiwanese elections in favor of pro-China parties.
Chen said that in addition to using YouTube to further its ends, China has also co-opted pro-China media outlets and internet celebrities based in Taiwan to help spread its messages. The result is Chinese propaganda on a range of social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, and Line.
Chen said that the National Security Bureau expects China to step up diplomatic, economic, and military threats against Taiwan in the run up to Taiwan’s 2020 election. He said that China will also likely seek to sow political division in Taiwan as the election approaches.
Chen said that faced with domestic troubles, China’s government may take measures to stoke nationalism and create cohesion. He said these may include announcing a timetable for cross-strait unification. Chen also said that China is likely to try and lure away one or two of Taiwan’s diplomatic allies in the run-up to the 2020 election.
Amid concerns that Chinese disinformation campaigns could affect Taiwanese elections, Chen proposed an international internet security alliance to combat fake news. He also suggested that Taiwan and the US sign a memorandum of understanding on the fight against fake news.