The Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) manipulation of public opinion is a form of foreign information manipulation and interference, and an issue of international concern, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said yesterday.
A video produced by YouTuber “Pa Chiung (八炯)” and released online on Friday showed how the CCP bribes Taiwanese online influencers in its “united front” efforts.
On the sidelines of a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, Lin said the issue is of international concern.
Photo: Wang Yi-sung, Taipei Times
“Many countries pay attention to how foreign information manipulation and interference are affecting Taiwan, including cultivating online influencers or social media opinion leaders in the nation,” he said. “We must prepare responsive and preventive measures.”
Taiwan has been exchanging ideas and sharing experiences with other countries on how to improve the public’s media literacy in response to foreign information manipulation and interference, such as the recent elections in Romania, which were annulled by a court due to alleged Russian influence through social media, Lin said.
“Taiwan is an open and democratic society protecting people’s freedom of information and speech, but how to prevent information manipulation from affecting election results and the functioning of a democracy is important,” he said.
Meanwhile, Lin was asked if the unstable political situation in South Korea following a failed martial law declaration by President Yoon Suk-yeol last week might affect US-Japan–South Korea trilateral cooperation or Taiwan.
There have been many elections in different countries this year, which resulted in changes of ruling parties in some cases and sometimes political upheaval, and Taiwan has been paying close attention and preparing itself, Lin said.
Taiwan, Japan, South Korea and the Philippines are all part of the “first island chain,” sharing common threats and interests, so Taiwan and friendly countries, especially Japan and the US, are paying close attention to the situation, he added.
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