Taiwan has pledged to share with Canada its experiences in countering China’s foreign interference.
Foreign Affairs Minister Jaushieh Wu made the offer during an exclusive press conference hosted by Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) on Sept. 6, as reported by
The Bureau.
Drawing upon Taiwan’s experience, Mr. Wu highlighted the issue of Beijing’s influence, particularly through its United Front Work Department (UFWD), known for its role in conducting foreign interference operations. He noted the UFWD strategically leveraged its resources, including people, immigration channels, and the Chinese diaspora communities, not only in Canada but also other countries, in efforts to achieve its objectives.
He said China aims to infiltrate Taiwanese society through disinformation campaigns and cognitive warfare, often utilizing media outlets more sympathetic to China than to Taiwan.
“We have told the Canadian friends that if they think that this information campaign or [UFWD] or that kind of thing is getting too serious in Canada, we would like to engage with the Canadian government officials so that we can share our experiences with our Canadian friends, and not limited to Canada,” he said.
China analysts have pointed to Beijing’s control and utilization of the media to promote its image and further its global objectives.
In
a previous interview with The Epoch Times, Victor Ho, former chief editor of Sing Tao Daily, who has been targeted by Beijing due to his outspoken criticism of the regime, warned of comparable strategies in Canada.
Mr. Ho said Beijing employs three types of media outlets to extend its influence abroad and control overseas Chinese communities. These outlets include overseas branches of Chinese state media, Hong Kong-originated outlets influenced by Beijing, and overseas media established by Chinese groups aligned with Beijing’s interests.
A recent example of China’s information campaign involved the targeting of Taiwanese Vice-President
Lai Ching-te. During Mr. Lai’s visit to the United States in August, the Montreal Chinese Community United Centre (MCCUC), took part in a coordinated effort to denounce him. It also played a key role in a June protest on Parliament Hill. While the demonstration was presented as an anti-racism gathering, the organizers simultaneously advocated against Canada’s foreign agent registry.
The MCCUC shared a statement issued by the Montreal branch of the China Council for the Promotion of Peaceful National Reunification (CCPPNR), an organization that operates under
direct oversight of the United Front. This global campaign saw other CCPPNR branches, worldwide, issuing similar condemnations of Mr. Lai.
Mr. Wu said that by influencing online and print news sources, Beijing distorts the perspectives of many members of the Chinese diaspora communities. Citing instances in New Zealand and Malaysia, he noted that a significant portion of the diaspora now holds the belief that the conflict in Ukraine was initiated by the United States.
Mr. Wu’s statement follows the commencement of the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly, during which Taiwan was excluded. Taiwan’s officials and representatives consistently face exclusion from international organizations and dialogues, largely due to pressure exerted by Beijing, which asserts territorial authority over the island democracy, even though the Chinese Communist Party has never governed it.
Tactics
China’s foreign interference tactics continuously evolve, according to Jyh-horng Jan, the deputy minister of Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council, an administrative agency tasked with managing relationships between the island and mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau.Addressing journalists in Taiwan on Sept. 5, Mr. Jan said that Beijing has initiated interference operations aimed at Taiwan’s forthcoming presidential election on Jan. 13, 2024, as reported by
The Bureau. He said Beijing’s tactics encompass the employment of “collaborators,” such as illegal gambling bosses and Taiwanese businessmen, as part of efforts to interfere in Taiwan’s elections.
Similar tactics were reported regarding Beijing’s alleged interference in Canadian politics. In the case of Canada’s 2019 election, Beijing allegedly attempted to interfere by clandestinely funding at least 11 Toronto area candidates through a network of community groups. This operation was reported by
Global News in December 2022, citing a 2020 national security document from the Privy Council Office.
In
reports published in February, The Globe and Mail reported on Beijing’s strategies for interfering in Canada’s 2021 federal election.
Citing leaked documents from the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, it highlighted the regime’s pressure on its consulates to leverage politically motivated Chinese diaspora community members to advance its objectives. Other tactics involved making undisclosed cash donations to political campaigns and having business owners hire international Chinese students, then assigning them to volunteer full-time in electoral campaigns.
