Focus Taiwan
Date: 2019/04/22
By: Wang Cheng-chung and William Yen 

Taipei, April 22 (CNA) China may intensify its psychological and legal warfare to influence public opinion leading up to Taiwan’s presidential election in 2020, according to a National Security Bureau (NSB) report.

In the NSB assessment submitted to the Legislative Yuan at the request of legislators, it said China may use the media to create suspicion and hostilities between Taiwan’s people and government as Taiwan will hold presidential and legislative elections in 2020.

It could also use new technology to further sway public opinion and monitor new media as a reference for its research on Taiwan policy, the NSB said in the assessment, which offered projections of what could happen without providing supporting evidence.

Furthermore, China may cultivate online influencers who may be able to sway public opinion on new media platforms to influence young people and scholars, the assessment said.    [FULL  STORY]