In recent news from the Epoch Times on September 9, 2024, Taiwan community associations in the Greater New York area invited Taiwanese internet celebrity “Doctor Dental Surgery Shu-Hua” to deliver a speech on the East Coast of the United States. In the lecture, Dr. Shu-Hua pointed out that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is attempting to undermine Taiwan’s internal consensus through united front attacks and propaganda infiltration. This is done in order to make Taiwan question its democratic system and sow division among the Taiwanese people. Faced with this threat, the younger generation in Taiwan needs to strengthen their mental defenses, enhance their awareness of adversaries, and cherish the values of democracy and freedom. The key to maximizing Taiwan’s consensus lies in unity, recognizing Taiwan’s sovereignty, and reaching consensus on issues of democracy, freedom, and sovereignty to resist the CCP’s united front tactics.
The Taiwanese Associations in Northern New Jersey, the Boston North American Taiwanese Women’s Association, and the New Jersey Enriched Living Club jointly invited Dr. Shu-Hua to speak on the topic of “Maximizing Taiwan’s Indigenous Consensus – Analyzing the Thoughts of Taiwanese Youth and the Rise of Taiwan-oriented Forces through Civic Movements and United Front Attacks.” Dr. Shu-Hua shared his observations on Taiwan in recent years and some analysis and reflections on the current situation in Taiwanese society. In addition to being a dentist, Dr. Shu-Hua is also a well-known figure on social media with over 160,000 followers on his Facebook page, where he often comments on current events and shares his perspectives.
In an interview with the newspaper, Dr. Shu-Hua mentioned that the CCP is no longer relying on direct military means to attack Taiwan but is using “positive schemes” such as economic infiltration and manipulation of public opinion to undermine Taiwan’s internal consensus. Through extensive propaganda, Chinese media influence, and dissemination of false information, the CCP seeks to erode the trust of the Taiwanese people in their government, questioning Taiwan’s democratic system and rule of law, ultimately leading to societal division.
He analyzed that the CCP’s strategy is no longer just about “attacking” Taiwan but also includes “buying” and “deceiving” Taiwan. By manipulating public opinion or promoting controversial bills to interfere in Taiwan’s domestic affairs, their goal is to create turmoil within Taiwan, weakening the confidence of the Taiwanese people in democracy, the rule of law, and the ruling party.
Dr. Shu-Hua pointed out that Taiwan’s younger generation, raised in an environment of democracy and freedom, known as the “wealthy second generation of democracy,” lacks sufficient vigilance against China’s united front tactics. Therefore, the younger generation should enhance their understanding of democracy and freedom in Taiwan and realize that democracy and freedom are the results of the struggles of their predecessors and once lost, they are difficult to regain.
He emphasized the importance of mental defense, as it is not only part of civil defense but also crucial in preventing united front infiltration. Dr. Shu-Hua cited the example of Shen Bo-yang founding the “Black Bear Academy” in 2023 for civil defense education, demonstrating Taiwan’s efforts in cultivating mental defense awareness.
Dr. Shu-Hua believes that Taiwan must form a strong and powerful Taiwan-oriented consensus, where regardless of individual political stances, everyone should uphold the common values of democracy, freedom of speech, and sovereignty. He defines “Taiwan-oriented consciousness” as recognizing Taiwan as our motherland, the country we grew up in, and vowing to defend it against the CCP and external threats. Dr. Shu-Hua emphasized that when individuals have this consciousness, they are all part of the Taiwan-oriented forces.