Taiwan’s anti-infiltration bill: McCarthyism or a ‘safety net’ to counter election meddling?

President Tsai Ing-wen and the DPP are pushing for the controversial legislation to be passed by the end of the year

But critics say the party is trying to silence dissent ahead of the polls, that the language is vague, and it could even see a return to ‘white terror’

Reading Time:4 minutes

President Tsai Ing-wen has accused Beijing of interfering in the island’s elections. Photo: EPA-EFE

Published: 6:37pm, 31 Dec 2019Updated: 12:52pm, 15 Feb 2020

Critics of Taiwan’s controversial anti-infiltration bill – which criminalises political activities funded or backed by Beijing – call it McCarthyism. Some have even said it could lead to the “white terror” suppression seen in Taiwan between 1949 and 1992.

Despite the criticism, President Tsai Ing-wen and the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, which has a majority in the legislature, are pushing for the bill to be passed by the end of the year.

Tsai has repeatedly accused Beijing of meddling in the run-up to the self-ruled island’s presidential and legislative elections on January 11, and says the legislation is needed to counter efforts to influence the polls.

Explaining the move, Tsai said last week there was “growing concern” in Taiwan about infiltration by Beijing and “we need to build a safety net for national security and there is an urgency for us to do so”.

But opposition politicians, especially those from the mainland-friendly Kuomintang, People First Party and the New Party, have accused the independence-leaning DPP of trying to silence dissent ahead of the polls. And they say the language used in the proposed legislation is vague.

Taiwan’s president said there was “growing concern” in the self-ruled island about infiltration by Beijing. Photo: EPA-EFE

Select Voice

Choose your listening speed

Get through articles 2x faster

1.25x

250 WPM

Slow

Average

Fast

00:0000:00

1.25x

Taiwan’s anti-infiltration bill: McCarthyism or a ‘safety net’ to counter election meddling?

President Tsai Ing-wen and the DPP are pushing for the controversial legislation to be passed by the end of the year But critics say the party is trying to silence dissent ahead of the polls, that the language is vague, and it could even see a return to ‘white terror’

President Tsai Ing-wen and the DPP are pushing for the controversial legislation to be passed by the end of the year

But critics say the party is trying to silence dissent ahead of the polls, that the language is vague, and it could even see a return to ‘white terror’