Beijing takes campaign online to win over Taiwanese hearts and minds in coronavirus pandemic

Beijing continues its PR push for people on the island to embrace the idea of ‘reunification’ with video conferences and programmes aimed at engaging young people

Security agencies in Taiwan are keeping a close eye on this ‘new campaign model’ to guide political ideology

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Despite pandemic measures, Beijing is continuing its campaign to persuade people in Taiwan that reunification is a step forward with online programmes and video conferences. Photo: Reuters

Published: 1:40pm, 10 Jul 2020Updated: 10:48pm, 10 Jul 2020

As the coronavirus pandemic all but halts travel across the Taiwan Strait, Beijing is taking its campaign pushing for “reunification” with Taiwan to the virtual world of live broadcasts, online conferences and video-making competitions.

The intensifying efforts to win hearts and minds in Taiwan come amid widespread support on the island for anti-government protests in Hong Kong and opposition to a new Beijing-imposed security law for the city.

Taiwan is Beijing’s most sensitive territorial issue, with Beijing claiming the self-ruled island as its own, to be brought under its control by force if needed.

While many Taiwanese trace their ancestry to mainland China and share cultural similarities, most do not want to be ruled by Beijing.

Beijing has long sought to win over Taiwan, where defeated Nationalist forces fled in 1949 at the end of the Chinese civil war. Cut-price summer programmes for young Taiwanese, find-your-roots tours and other schemes push the message that Taiwan would be better off under Beijing and has nothing to fear.