Taipei [Taiwan], May 30 : The government is contemplating the regulation of the Chinese social media application Xiaohongshu, also known as Rednote, due to concerns that it could be utilized by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) for "united front" initiatives, as reported by the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC), according to the Taipei Times.
During a meeting of the legislature's Internal Administration Committee, MAC Minister Chiu Chui-cheng expressed these views while the committee was set to review proposed changes to the Act Governing Relations Between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area and the Act Governing Relations with Hong Kong and Macau, as stated by the Taipei Times.
Chiu noted that this is the first instance of a Chinese expert linking the widely used application to unification efforts, adding that the council suspects the CCP may be leveraging the app to conduct its "united front" strategy, as mentioned in the Taipei Times report.
"If this is true, individuals should exercise caution when using Xiaohongshu or Douyin, since these platforms might be aimed at preparing Taiwanese citizens for unification," he remarked, as cited in the Taipei Times.
The council has been pressing agencies overseeing online activities to examine Xiaohongshu, he stated, mentioning that they have discovered content on the platform promoting unification through coercion and undermining national sovereignty. "We are in discussions with relevant agencies about this matter," he said. "We believe that the time has come when it is crucial to establish laws regulating the use of Chinese platforms," he asserted, as quoted by the Taipei Times.
Chiu urged educational institutions to enhance media literacy education. He emphasised that students must be aware of the risks associated with using Chinese applications, including potential exposure of their personal information to the CCP and the influence of propaganda advocating for unification, he said, as reported by the Taipei Times.
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