Taiwan faces a nonstop barrage of disinformation from China. It has responded nimbly to the assault and remained remarkably resilient — so far. But Beijing’s efforts to sway the Taiwanese people with conspiracy theories and lies are starting to resonate, undermining their faith in democracy and deepening polarization. In a new Journal of Democracy online exclusive, Tim Niven argues that defending against China’s information war will require tireless resistance from the whole of society.
Since democratization, Taiwan has been a prime target of China’s aggressive influence campaigns. The following Journal of Democracy essays, free for a limited time, canvass Taiwan’s democratic journey and its efforts to safeguard against Chinese influence operations.
Combating Beijing’s Sharp Power: Taiwan’s Democracy Under Fire
No state on the planet is more heavily targeted by authoritarians’ information warfare than the Republic of China on Taiwan. And no other state and free society are better at resisting the daily onslaught.
Ketty W. ChenHow Taiwan Stands Up to China
Beijing’s influence operations relentlessly target Taiwan. The lead-up to the January 2020 elections saw China putting a full-court press on the island, but Taiwanese democracy broke it.
Kharis TemplemanThe Quest for Good Governance: Taiwan’s Fight Against Corruption
Bold leadership from people in key posts can effectively promote public integrity, but they must be ready to accept tenures that are stormy and short.
Christian GoebelPlus:
Why Taiwan’s Voters Defied Beijing — Again
Taiwan’s voters rewarded the ruling party with an unprecedented third consecutive term, despite the mainland’s attempts to intimidate. Expect Beijing to find new ways to threaten the democracy off its coast.
Raymond Kuo
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Image Credit: Man Hei Leung/Anadolu via Getty Images