China is using fake “pro-Taiwan” accounts on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, to spread misinformation and incite social division as a part of its evolving information warfare against Taiwan, national security experts said yesterday.
A previous National Security Bureau report said that China is using artificial intelligence to help generate and spread misinformation.
In the first three months of this year, 510,000 controversial messages and 3,600 abnormal accounts were found, most originating from China, the report said.
Photo: Screen grab from Douyin
China has been spreading short videos on Douyin and Facebook that vilify President William Lai (賴清德), including one video that falsely depicts Lai dancing and celebrating while a storm brings disaster to southern Taiwan, apparently in reference to last month’s Typhoon Danas and heavy rains in the south over the past few weeks, sources said.
Meanwhile, a Douyin account called “sb.taiwan Treasure Island Diary TEAM TAIWAN” has been posing as “pro-Taiwan,” posting numerous controversial messages, some using simplified Chinese characters, they said.
Some of the videos claimed that Taiwanese soldiers were eager to defend Taiwan, much like Ukrainian soldiers, and said that “President Lai, Taiwan is ready.”
Other videos expressed support for the recall election on Aug. 23, saying that the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), which it called the Taiwan branch of the Chinese Communist Party, should stop causing chaos in Taiwan and that Chinese causing problems in Taiwan should return home.
Some of the account’s videos said the US is getting closer with Taiwan, showing a photograph of Lai in US President Donald Trump’s office, but with Lai’s hairstyle altered to look like that of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
An official familiar with China’s “united front” tactics said that China is using “imposters” in its information warfare against Taiwan.
The approach makes it difficult for people to identify or refute such indirect and disguised propaganda videos, which are hard to distinguish as legitimate, the official said.
“Imposter” content needs to be promptly addressed and misinformation clarified, they said.
Some posts that claim the government expelled Chinese nationals or revoked their Taiwanese residency appear to take a pro-Taiwan stance, but include misinformation and false legal references, they said.
The tactic is designed to stir emotions in people online, to incite division in Taiwanese society, and undermine public trust in and support for the government, they said.
People might temper their emotions after discovering the claims are untrue, but over time they might feel that the government is doing nothing about the issue, they added.
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