Taiwan’s ban of mainland social media app a case of political manipulation: spokesperson

BEIJING – Chinese mainland authorities have strongly criticized Taiwan’s recent prohibition of the popular social media application Rednote, characterizing the move as a politically motivated act of “double-standard” manipulation. The statement came from Zhu Fenglian, spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, during a Wednesday press conference.

Zhu explicitly dismissed Taiwan’s official justification of fraud prevention as merely a pretext concealing ulterior motives. She asserted that the genuine objective behind the ban aligns with separatist “Taiwan independence” agendas rather than legitimate regulatory concerns.

The spokesperson emphasized that these restrictive measures effectively sever crucial communication channels across the Taiwan Strait, particularly impacting younger Taiwanese demographics. Zhu highlighted how the prohibition infringes upon fundamental rights to information access and digital platform freedom for Taiwan’s residents.

According to Zhu, the controversial ban has already provoked substantial public discontent and opposition within Taiwan, especially among youth populations who value digital connectivity and cross-strait communication platforms. The spokesperson framed the incident as part of broader patterns of political manipulation that ultimately disadvantage ordinary Taiwanese citizens while advancing divisive political objectives.