The old but reliable rumor claimed that the Taiwanese were receiving “poisonous” bacon imported from the US.
Another week-old allegation that the Chinese government was quietly collecting body from its people and giving it to the US to use as a bioweapon against China came next.
Both were quickly destroyed.
However, this is a story that has been developing in Taiwan in advance of the political and congressional elections on Saturday.
” Yimeilun,” or US skepticism, casts doubt on Taiwan’s most steadfast ally and portrays the island as a tool used by the a country in the U.S.. Researchers claim that its final objective is to create a rift between Taiwan and the US and force the Taiwanese into China’s warm embrace.
According to Kwang- shun Yang, a propaganda researcher who came up with the term in 2018,” there seems to be this narrative that the US will certainly help Taiwan, or may leave it if there’s war.
China may even be creating the information, according to propaganda experts. Japanese politicians and media have a history of being supportive of Beijing, according to data.
It’s not always crime theories either; occasionally, media coverage paints the US in a negative light or portrays it as an unreliable power.
Puma Shen, a Chinese specialist in Chinese disinformation, said,” For China, it’s all about the battle for people mind.”
” Persuading people that China is the better land is more hard, but it is fairly easier… to China that would be considered a achievement”
It was claimed that the expansion of Chinese device juggernaut TSMC in the US was the result of American force and a “hollowing out” of the country’s resources. Additionally, it was believed that by sending Taiwan uncertain arms, the US had” cheated” the area out of its money.
Between 2021 and 2023, think tank IORG identified 84 different types of US skepticism narratives on Chinese-language internet platforms, social media, website forums PTT, and messaging platformsLINE.
Online articles that claimed, without any supporting data, that the government was quietly passing off US meat as Taiwanese served as the origin of the rumor. People made the claim about hazardous US pork products weeks after, blaming it on an old, rejected report by a pro-China Hong Kong newspaper.
In Taiwan, conversations about the possibility that US meat may be uncomfortable have persisted for years. However, it has come back just in time for what seems to be a close political culture.
According to the most recent opinion polls, the Kuomintang’s ( KMT ) Hou You- ih is only marginally ahead of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party ( DPP ) William Lai. And according to Mr. Shen, any propaganda campaign would only need to persuade about 3 % of citizens to have an impact on the election result.
Taiwan experienced a huge influx of anti-DPP propaganda in the months leading up to the last election, in 2020, which was thought to have originated in China. President Tsai Ing won her second term by a landslide despite the fact that it ultimately failed, which greatly alarmed some Taiwanese.
But since then, the social climate has changed. For starters, there has been an increase in hostilities with China. Beijing has consistently emphasized unification as a purpose and has offered peace while not forbidding the use of force.
Second, there is a decline in trust in the US.
According to surveys, Chinese people also have much more faith in the US than they do in China. However, according to Taiwanese academics ‘ yearly American Portrait survey, only 34 % of the population in Taiwan thinks the US is a reliable nation last year, down from 45 % in 2021.
51 % of Japanese in their first 20s identify with US skepticism stories, the highest among all age groups, according to a study conducted by the Taiwan Public Opinion Foundation.
Younger Taiwanese were more likely to be deployed to any potential warfronts, according to the poll organization.
The majority of this could be attributed to American behavior. According to experts, Chinese concerns that America would leave the country or not step in if China problems have been exacerbated by the tragic troop withdrawal from Afghanistan and a divided Congress ‘ unwillingness to continue funding Ukraine in its battle.
Jaw Shaw-kang, the vice-presidential member of the KMT who has urged closer ties with China and encouraged US skepticism, issued a warning in 2021 that Taiwan “must think clearly whether it wants war or peace” if it does not need to turn into another Afghanistan.
According to Chihhao Yu, the study’s author, US skepticism has also contributed to” seeding” doubt. The US would next confirm earlier suspicions if it made a mistake.
culture of an orphan
Whether it is about foods safety or the possibility of battle, US skepticism thrives on fear, just like other advertising and deception.
However, it also uncovers a basic aspect of the Chinese people’s mentality: their long-standing unease with America.
According to Mr. Yang, this is a result of Taiwan’s “orphan mentality.” ” Taiwan was a town of numerous dynasties that its previous kings repeatedly transferred.” That traditional view has always been ingrained in people’s memories.
However, 1979 was the most obvious button.
However, it likewise enacted legislation requiring assistance in Taiwan’s self-defense. It still has nearby, casual ties to the area and sells it weapons.
This is why, according to Mr. Yang, US skepticism frequently coexists with pro-China claims that they are “push and move forces,” encouraging Taiwan to engage with China more to ensure peace.
If Taiwan is an infant, it should be a wayward son returning to the wonderful country of China rather than continuing to be an American subsidiary.
Experts claim that British assurances are the most effective countermeasures to US skepticism.
People would see that this relationship is good for us if our ally could be more aware of the risks of US skepticism and come out to restate the positive aspects of our relationship, Mr. Yu said.
They talk about all the advantages Taiwan receives from China and say,” China does this every day.” However, it is n’t frequently mentioned in US policy messaging.
With public schooling campaigns, hotlines for reporting, and yet AI chatbots that identify fake news, the area has strengthened its anti-disinformation defenses.
Anti-disinformation rules were even discussed by Taiwan’s parliament, though this raised concerns about restrictions on press freedom.
Wei-ping Li, a scientist with the anti-disinformation organization Taiwan Factcheck Center, claims that years of misinformation and disinformation have polarized society and increased mistrust of the truth.
” Women’s attitude toward information today is the problem, not so much the deception, they may ask, can you even confidence this?” Based on their party associations or political views, they may judge the veracity of the data, she said.
According to Mr. Shen, as Taiwan improves its self-defense, China may improve its ability to sway public opinion using more sophisticated techniques.
Ordinary Taiwanese have grown weary as a result of the state of Taiwan’s repeated warnings about the perils of Chinese control, as well as Beijings ‘ efforts to demonize condemnation of China, he claimed.
There will be people who ask,” Why are n’t you discussing America’s issues?” these days, even if we want to talk about Chinese issues.
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29 December 2023
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