Mainland decries DPP's RedNote ban

A Chinese mainland spokesman on Wednesday condemned Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party authorities for banning the mainland social media app RedNote, or Xiaohongshu, calling the move "an act against democracy "and driven by self-interest.

Chen Binhua, spokesman for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, said at a news conference that the DPP authorities' decision deprives people in Taiwan, especially young people, of their right to information and their freedom to use social media platforms.

The ban, announced on Dec 4, was imposed by Taiwan's "interior affairs department" for a year, citing alleged failures in "multiple cybersecurity indicators" and claims of "frequent fraud".

Chen argued that RedNote allows people in Taiwan, especially young users, to learn about the mainland's real situation and interact positively with mainland netizens. This, he added, breaks through the "information cocoons" and long-standing slander about the mainland that the DPP authorities have deliberately cultivated.

"The DPP authorities claim they are 'combating fraud', but in reality they are acting 'against democracy'," he said, adding that the ban exposes their "inner fear and unease".

Chen denounced the ban as a reckless action that tramples on democracy and restricts freedom. "It has also severely affected the livelihoods of those in Taiwan who rely on RedNote for income," he added.

According to reports, RedNote has more than 3 million users in Taiwan, 70 percent of whom were born after 1990. Following the announcement of the ban, downloads of the app surged, pushing RedNote to the top of Taiwan's social app download rankings on Sunday. The app is still available on both Google Play Store and Apple App Store, but it can only be used through a VPN.

Chen pointed to media reports showing that Facebook was involved in nearly 60,000 fraud cases last year and has already exceeded 30,000 cases this year, far more than the number attributed to RedNote by the DPP authorities.

He further criticized the DPP authorities for opposing anything that Taiwan residents use and blocking anything popular among young people, from mainland-based shopping platforms and video sites to social media, saying the DPP has effectively become the "party of restricting people".

The ban has drawn widespread criticism across the island. Cheng Li-wun, chairwoman of the Chinese Kuomintang party, said the DPP's ban on RedNote is merely the first step toward building a "great firewall" under the guise of fighting fraud.

She noted that the DPP authorities cannot tolerate the fact that on RedNote, users of different backgrounds can freely and amicably discuss topics ranging from beauty and fashion to everyday life.

"The DPP authorities will inevitably face the consequences of their reckless actions," Chen said, adding that such regressive measures cannot stop the growing trend of people in Taiwan, especially young people, seeking to learn about and connect with their compatriots on the mainland.

lishangyi@chinadaily.com.cn