TikTok (Overseas version of Douyin) short video platform has become popular in Taiwan in recent years. On the 13th, Matthew Pottinger, former Deputy National Security Advisor of the United States, stated that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is conducting psychological warfare, information warfare, and legal warfare against Taiwan. Taiwan needs to take more proactive measures to safeguard democracy and freedom, and TikTok and the CCP’s social platform Xiaohongshu are tools used for united front tactics.
According to reports from the Central News Agency, on the afternoon of the 13th, the Magnificent Taiwan Alliance held a book launch event titled “Boiling Moat: Urgent Actions to Defend Taiwan”. The book’s editor and main author, Pottinger, along with co-authors Ivan Kanapathy, former Deputy Senior Director for Asian Affairs at the White House National Security Council, and Wu Yinong, founder of the Magnificent Taiwan Alliance, attended the event.
Pottinger pointed out that the CCP often mentions the three warfare against Taiwan, including information warfare, psychological warfare, and legal warfare. After President Lai Ching-te was sworn in on May 20, the military actions taken by the CCP around Taiwan resemble a blockade, which is part of psychological warfare to create a mental impact. “There is no way to stop China” and this is intended to create psychological shock because Taiwan’s people can express their will through votes and elections.
The CCP’s official state media, People’s Daily, has stated that short video platforms can be used as tools for psychological warfare to win over the hearts of the masses and manipulate public opinion. Beijing is very active in this aspect of operations.
Pottinger stated that CCP leader Xi Jinping is waging psychological warfare, information warfare, and legal warfare against Taiwan, and Taiwan needs to take more proactive actions to counter these and uphold democracy and freedom. Xiaohongshu and TikTok “are united front tools of the CCP”. While users are free to choose the content to upload, the promotion and dissemination are controlled by Communist Party members and the ByteDance company affiliated with the CCP, allowing these individuals to control speech.
Ivan Kanapathy, former Deputy Senior Director for Asian Affairs at the White House National Security Council, expressed that Taiwan’s military reform needs to accelerate and increase investment in military equipment. Sufficient ammunition stockpiles and weapons inventory need to be maintained, and the development of unmanned aerial vehicles and other unmanned weapon systems is necessary.
He further emphasized that defending Taiwan is not only the responsibility of the Ministry of National Defense; everyone should have some understanding of military matters, especially ordinary civilians. Because civilians should know how to protect themselves in the event of war or similar situations.