47 MARTINDALE CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF PRIVATE ENTERPRISE the fundamental governance difference between Taiwan and China. Unification between the ROC and PRC would translate to loss of freedoms, restricting democracy in the ROC. The CCP reunification agenda China pursues unification through systematic promotion of a pro-unification agenda across Taiwan’s media markets. Segments of the media in Taiwan face illegal interference in the form of pro-unification ads and advertorials from Chinese entities. This interference has compromised the quality of information citizens receive and undermines journalistic integrity, leading journalists and citizens to look to Taiwan’s press freedoms and laws (discussed later) that protect them from outside interference. China’s ongoing interference in Taiwan’s media is a threat to Taiwan’s democratic society and its independent media. As Taiwan’s democracy has grown, so too has China’s interference in media. China’s efforts to undermine Taiwan’s independent media have evolved over time, with documented evidence emerging in the 2000s of a media warfare strategy. Kerry K. Gershaneck (2021) of National Chengchi University defines media warfare as “using public opinion as a weapon by propagandizing and coercion through various forms of media to weaken the adversary’s will to fight while ensuring strength of will and unity on one’s own side” (p. 66). President Hu Jintao is a prominent example of a Chinese leader who engaged in media warfare against Taiwan. On August 12, 2004, at the Central People’s Broadcasting Station’s fiftieth anniversary of its first broadcast to Taiwan, then President Hu Jintao announced new goals for the CCP’s unification strategy: 1) entering the island, 2) entering the household, and 3) entering the mind (Huang, 2017). This explicitly articulated strategy aligns with Gershaneck’s concept of media warfare, demonstrating the CCP’s deliberate use of coercion and propaganda to influence Taiwanese citizens and strengthen support for unification. In short, media warfare affects the kind of information the public receives as well as their views about Taiwan as an independent democracy. China’s agenda to weaken Taiwan’s independent media persists, calling into question the effectiveness of measures to protect Taiwan from China’s reunification agenda. Press freedom and governing laws While freedom of publication is fundamental to press freedoms, interpretations of those freedoms vary. Wu and Lambert (2016) maintain that press freedom “encompasses a country’s legal environment, political pressure, and economic factors” (p. 36). In theory, press freedom exists in Taiwan, but interpretations of press freedoms can be driven by personalized views and the changing dynamics of these aspects within Taiwan’s society. The vulnerability and strength of press independence then become debatable when powerful individuals expand their media ownership—such as Tsai Eng-meng’s controversial 2008 acquisition of the China Times Media Group (discussed later)—while supporting political endeavors that oppose freedom of speech or of the press in Taiwan. Within Taiwan’s legal framework, scholars, journalists, and lawmakers point to six key laws that aim to protect press freedoms (Table 1), of which several should counter Beijing’s interference in Taiwan’s media. Three laws—the Radio and Television Act, Satellite Broadcasting Act, and Cable Radio and Television Act—are used to defend press freedoms in Taiwan in general. The other three—the National Security Act, Anti-Infiltration Act, and Acts Governing Relations Between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area (also known as the Cross-Strait Act)—are utilized for limiting China’s infringement on Taiwan’s press freedoms. Sean Quirk (2021) notes that the Anti-Infiltration Act “forbids the receipt of funding, instructions, or donations from these ‘external forces’ to mobilize public rallies for election campaign activities, lobby government officials, or disrupt social order” (p. 554). With China actively pursuing its reunification agenda through propaganda, censorship, and disinformation, these challenges require robust legal countermeasures. A detailed analysis of how these threats affect Taiwan’s media is pivotal to understanding attacks on democracy and how laws can protect freedom of speech and of the press. Propaganda, censorship, and disinformation Propaganda, censorship, and disinformation have infiltrated Taiwan’s media via various channels, including media privatization, a particularly effective mechanism. Privatization is a business tool China uses to promote pro-unification rhetoric directly using Taiwan’s media. Tsai Eng-meng, wealthy owner of the prominent food supplier Want Want, is an example. Tsai acquired the China Times Media Group in 2008, sparking controversy due to his alleged sympathies for the CCP and its pro-unification agenda. Note that in a democracy, opposing viewpoints—including those critical of democracy itself—are permitted in
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