China’s TAO attempts holding cross-strait media summit in bid to control Taiwan’s media

China’s TAO attempts holding cross-strait media summit in bid to control Taiwan’s media

2023-05-28

With the presidential election coming up next year, Beijing is making moves to influence public sentiment in Taiwan. China’s Taiwan Affairs Office had planned to hold a cross-strait media summit this month, inviting 30 media outlets in Taiwan to attend. However, the TAO was unable to generate any interest in the summit, and was forced to reschedule the event. Despite that, one pundit said that China was unlikely to abandon its resolve to interfere in the 2024 presidential election. Meanwhile, Premier Chen Chien-jen delivered a stern warning to Beijing, saying that Taiwan’s media are driven by professionalism and press freedom.

At a meeting of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference in March, head of the advisory body, Wang Huning, reiterated several times the goal of the “great rejuvenation of the Chinese people.”

Wang Huning (March 11)
CPPCC head
At the 20th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party, a plan has been drawn up for the comprehensive development of a powerful, modern socialist nation. Through the advancement of Chinese-style modernization, a grand blueprint for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese people has been laid out, sounding the horn on the start of a new journey of the times.

Wang’s speech also mentioned unification with Taiwan, which is understood to be a central part of that goal. Now, two months later, Wang is taking aim at Taiwanese media, but has so far been failing in this effort.

China’s Taiwan Affairs Office had scheduled to hold its fifth cross-strait media summit from Wednesday to Saturday last week, and had originally planned to invite executives from 30 Taiwanese media companies to attend.

Wang was to attend the summit in person, and tasked organizers with facilitating a discussion on a Taiwanese version of the “one country, two systems” framework. Organizers were also told to sing the praises of the Chinese economy in a bid to attract Taiwanese investors. However, few signed up for the summit. The reason may be rooted in events that occurred four years earlier.

Wang Yang (May 12, 2019)
Then-CPPCC head
The Taiwanese authorities cannot even guarantee what will happen in two years. Now there are Taiwanese separatists betting on the Americans. Will the Americans fight against China over Taiwan? If they do fight, will they win?

Uninterested in indoctrination, and also focused on Taiwan’s upcoming election, Taiwanese media companies opted out of the Chinese summit. The TAO was forced to put off the event, and shift focus toward media marketing. It sought out smaller media companies , local radio stations and newer online news outlets to participate.

Chang Ming-yu
Pundit
During President Tsai Ing-wen’s first and second-term elections, and now ahead of next year’s presidential election, China has used the same approach throughout. It uses money and disinformation campaigns to interfere in Taiwan’s elections. China is not going to abandon its resolve to interfere in Taiwan’s elections.

Chen Chien-jen
Premier
Don’t engage in any malicious activity aimed at disturbing peace and stability in Taiwan. Taiwan’s media will insist on press freedom and professionalism. It won’t become a tool of China’s vicious acts of suppression, or of its united-front efforts.

China’s attempt at influencing Taiwanese media under the guise of democratic discussion has failed, but with elections coming up, it is more important than ever to remain vigilant.