Taipei: There are growing suspicions that Chinese social media apps like Douyin and RedNote are being used by China in its united front propaganda efforts against Taiwan, Chiu Chui-cheng, head of Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council (MAC), said Thursday. During a legislative hearing, Chiu highlighted content on these platforms that promotes unification, advocates military force against Taiwan, and undermines its sovereignty.

According to Focus Taiwan, Chiu expressed hope that Taiwan's Internet regulatory agencies will investigate the matter and address public concerns about such apps. He was responding to a question by Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Huang Jie on whether the MAC classifies social media platforms like RedNote as tools for China's united front propaganda. Huang drew attention to a recent comment by Chinese academic Zhang Weiwei, who noted the growing popularity of platforms like RedNote among young people in Taiwan as a means of advancing China's influence.

Zhang Weiwei commented during a speech at China's Wuhan University that after Taiwan is unified, governing Taiwan will be easier than governing Hong Kong. Chiu noted during Thursday's hearing that this was the first open statement by a Chinese scholar linking the use of popular Chinese social media apps in Taiwan to China's goal of unification. This suggests that apps like Douyin and RedNote could be part of China's preparations for unification with Taiwan, indicating a need for increased vigilance among the Taiwanese public.

Chiu also proposed that Taiwan's schools should provide social media literacy guidance and education on such apps, so that students can comprehend the potential risks. He warned that personal information could be exploited by China and incorporated into content on those apps to promote unification ideology.

Additionally, Chiu addressed questions about the potential risks associated with a planned visit to China by Taiwanese Internet celebrity Holger Chen as a "peace ambassador." Chiu stated that under Taiwan's current regulations, Chen, as an ordinary citizen, does not require government approval to travel to China. However, he expressed hope that if Chen visits, he will uphold principles of mutual respect and dignity, comply with Taiwan's regulations, and strive to safeguard the overall interests of his country.