What’s up, CPTPP?
In this Dokidoki Alert, IORG investigates 1 CCP propaganda and 4 information manipulation narratives regarding CPTPP between September 1st and October 17th, 2021. Stay alert.
Narrative | Features | Disseminating nodes
| Clarification |
|---|---|---|---|
Taiwan’s participation in CPTPP “should abide by One China Principle”; the DPP authority uses international trade to plot for independence |
| Unable to disproof | |
Taiwan applied to join CPTPP after China because of the government’s laziness, dereliction of its duties, and its intention to be a false player |
|
| None |
Taiwan scrambled to join CPTPP because China applied first |
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Taiwan will allow import of Japanese “nuclear food” if joining CPTPP, selling out health of the people |
|
| |
Taiwan must negotiate with China if it wants to join CPTPP |
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- Before Taiwan’s application to join CPTPP, China explicitly expressed its position that Taiwan’s participation “should abide by One China Principle”, opposing other countries to sign any agreement with Taiwan that “signifies sovereignty”.
- Between China and Taiwan’s respective application to join CPTPP, multiple pan-Blue Facebook pages spread the manipulative narrative that “Taiwan applied to join CPTPP after China because of the government’s laziness, dereliction of its duties, and its intention to be a false player.” “Global Chinese X Alliance” Facebook pages shared articles from “qiqi” content farm in clusters, again.
- Facebook pages “Prussian Blues Land”, “Technological Alliance for Global Chinese”, and “TVBS Situation Room” spread a manipulative narrative that “the DPP government just wants to be a false player” in its bid to join CPTPP.
- On September 22nd, Taiwan submitted its application for CPTPP. The next day KMT Culture and Communication Committee (中國國民黨文傳會) and Chao Shao-kang (趙少康) started to spread the manipulative narrative that “Taiwan scrambled to join CPTPP because China applied first.” This narrative was echoed by Chinese state media Facebook page “Tong Shuo HK 2.0” and “Knowledge Practice Studio.” IORG also observed cases when this narrative is combined with the saying that “the DPP government applied for CPTPP due to pressure from the U.S. and Japan.”
- Once Taiwan submitted its application to CPTPP, the number of Facebook posts that convey the narrative “Taiwan will allow import of Japanese “nuclear food” if joining CPTPP, selling out health of the people” began to increase. This narrative is also echoed by Chinese state media like “Huanqiu” and “Tong Media HK.” There are posts that compare Japanese “nuclear food” (核食) issue with American “ractopamine pork” (萊豬), such as the ones published by pro-China Facebook page “Taiwan Headlines” and KMT legislators Lai Shyh-bao (賴士葆) and Lee Guei-min (李貴敏)
- Co-hosts Tang Hsiang-Lung (唐湘龍) and Feng-hsin Chen (陳鳳馨) mentioned in the political commentary show “Dragon Phoenix Match” (風向龍鳳配) that “If China were to join CPTPP before Taiwan, then Taiwan has to negotiate with China with regards to their economic and trade relations.” This contention becomes false when the presumption of “China joins before Taiwan” is omitted. Yet KMT legislator Chen Chao-ming (陳超明) and Lin Yi-hua (林奕華) used the false version to question the Minister of Economic Affairs during a congressional inquiry.
- Overall, CPP propaganda and information manipulation account for less than 25% of public discourse regarding CPTPP in Taiwan. The number of posts about “Scrambled to join CPTPP” is the highest among the 4 manipulative narratives.
Full version of this Dokidoki Alert is available in Taiwanese Mandarin. Please visit https://iorg.tw/da/15 for more.
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