The “Sunflower movement,” whose members grew up during the administrations of former presidents Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) and Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), received a thorough education on Taiwanese identity, helping them develop a clear distinction between Taiwan and China in terms of national identity. Their attitude on relations with China is comparatively clear-cut and their political stance is often described as “natural independence.”
However, with the rise of social media and China’s political infiltration of Taiwan through mobile apps, Taiwanese younger than 18 are developing a misunderstanding of China. Many are even gradually losing their sense of vigilance toward the possibility of a Chinese Communist Party (CCP)-orchestrated military attack on Taiwan, believing such an event to be impossible.
A Canadian Broadcasting Corp (CBC) report published last week featured interviews with Taiwanese teenagers and college students, whose views were quite unexpected. Young Taiwanese are no longer convinced that China poses a threat. Among those who use Douyin, a Chinese platform similar to TikTok, many believe that Taiwan’s political parties are to blame for cross-strait tensions.
The proportion of Douyin users with pro-China sentiments is significantly higher than those who do not use the app, according to the report. Their perception of China is completely different from the “natural independence” generation.
While some countries prohibit children from using social media sites such as TikTok, Taiwan — despite facing the most severe threat from China — has yet to ban minors from the platform. At the same time, many Taiwanese parents have a hands-off approach toward their children’s Internet and smartphone use, so long as the children behave and do not cause trouble.
As a result, many Taiwanese children have grown up immersed in Douyin’s short videos, forming what could be called a “Douyin generation.” Beyond the emotional and cognitive issues that creates, the more alarming problem is China’s deliberate plan to politically indoctrinate Taiwanese youth.
That campaign is cultivating a mindset that completely disregards the China threat, said the report, leading to troubling consequences, such as political views that increasingly align with Beijing’s narrative.
Narcotics are toxic, which is why they are prohibited, and drug trafficking and drug use are crimes, but Douyin remains unregulated. Numerous studies have shown the developmental harm Douyin inflicts on children and teenagers, not to mention China’s intentional and long-term political goals to infiltrate Taiwan’s next generation through social media. That has fostered unrealistic fantasies about China and eroded young people’s determination to safeguard national security.
If Douyin is not banned, Taiwan not only stands to lose its attitude of “natural independence” among young people, but the CCP might not even need to use military force to take the country. The next generation’s naive delusions about China might eventually push Taiwan’s democracy into the CCP’s authoritarian cage.
Chen Chi-nung is a political commentator.
Translated by Kyra Gustavsen
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