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Taiwanese President William Lai Ching-te has warned that the growing influence of Chinese social media platforms among young people could evolve into a serious national security challenge.
Speaking at a youth forum in Taipei, Lai emphasised the need for stronger historical education and critical thinking to counter narratives promoted through Chinese apps such as TikTok and RedNote, as reported by The Taipei Times. According to The Taipei Times, the event brought together students from across Taiwan to present policy proposals directly to the president. One group from Kang Chiao International School argued that Taiwan should revamp its history curriculum by drawing inspiration from the United States' Advanced Placement history courses. Students said a stronger focus on historical analysis, cause and effect, and critical evaluation would help young people resist misleading or politically motivated content circulating on Chinese platforms. Lai endorsed the proposal, stressing that platforms linked to China have the potential to gradually weaken public commitment to democracy. He cautioned that if such influence remains unchecked, future generations could develop a distorted understanding of cross-strait relations and overlook Beijing's long-standing goal of bringing Taiwan under its control. The president also noted that government measures have largely concentrated on restricting access to certain Chinese applications, while insufficient attention has been paid to strengthening civic and historical awareness among students. He instructed officials from the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Culture to examine the students' recommendations. Taiwan has already imposed a one-year nationwide ban on RedNote over concerns related to fraud and information security. Restrictions have also been placed on the use of TikTok on government-issued devices by military personnel and civil servants, as highlighted by The Taipei Times. Another student delegation from National Feng-Hsin Senior High School urged authorities to make artificial intelligence education a compulsory part of the high school curriculum. Responding to the proposal, Lai said Taiwan must embrace AI while ensuring students continue to develop independent thinking and problem-solving abilities, as reported by The Taipei Times. (ANI)
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