TAIPEI – A contentious decision by Taiwan's government to impose a year-long suspension on access to the popular Chinese social media platform, Rednote (known as Xiaohongshu in Chinese), has sparked outrage from the island's main opposition party.
On December 5th, Kuomintang Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun vehemently denounced the planned ban as an act of censorship, arguing it severely curtails Taiwan's cherished internet freedoms. This stance directly contradicts the presidential office, which has thrown its full support behind the government's move.
Security Concerns vs. Freedom of Speech
The Interior Ministry of Taiwan justified the proposed suspension, announced on December 4th, by citing significant security risks. They highlighted that Rednote, an app similar to Instagram, has been implicated in over 1,700 fraud cases since 2024. Despite its popularity among an estimated three million Taiwanese users, Rednote has yet to respond to government inquiries regarding concrete measures for data safety.
Ms. Cheng Li-wun of the Kuomintang, a party known for advocating closer ties with Beijing, took to Facebook to express her dismay. She observed that many users were already seeking ways to "climb over the firewall" to access Xiaohongshu – a phrase commonly used in China to describe circumventing state-imposed internet censorship via VPNs. Cheng asserted that the ban represented a major restriction on internet freedom. She lamented, "Taiwan’s long-prized internet freedom and freedom of speech have already been restricted and strangled by the Democratic Progressive Party in the name of national security," directly criticizing the ruling party.
A Region Divided by Digital Borders
The situation draws parallels with previous concerns surrounding Chinese-owned apps, such as TikTok, which faced a potential ban in the US, only to avert it through a divestiture plan. While mainland China maintains a stringent "Great Firewall" that blocks major Western platforms like Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), YouTube, and Google, democratically-governed Taiwan has historically championed an open internet policy, priding itself on its lack of such restrictions.
However, Taiwan has consistently warned its citizens about the potential dangers associated with Chinese applications, particularly the risk of disinformation originating from Beijing. The Interior Ministry confirmed that its attempts to engage with Rednote for assurances on data security remained unanswered, reinforcing their decision.
Presidential Backing and Information Warfare
Karen Kuo, spokeswoman for Taiwan’s presidential office, publicly affirmed support for the Interior Ministry's decision, stating, "We respect the ministry’s decision and express our support," following a prompt explanation of the fraud and security risks.
The broader context includes accusations from Taiwan that China actively uses Western social media platforms – which it bans domestically – to spread disinformation among Taiwanese citizens, aiming to erode public trust. A notable incident occurred in October when China’s Taiwan Affairs Office launched a Facebook page using traditional Chinese characters (common in Taiwan but not mainland China). This page was swiftly inundated by Taiwanese internet users posting national flags and satirizing China’s strict censorship policies.
Taiwan's government steadfastly rejects Beijing's claims of sovereignty, asserting that only the people of Taiwan have the right to determine their future. Neither government officially recognizes the other, highlighting the complex political landscape underlying digital policy decisions.