China Alleges Taiwan Is Paying Bribes for US Support

[ad_1] A latest NBC report revealed that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) carried out categorised briefings for U.S. Congress members, warning them of a possible disinformation marketing campaign by the Chinese language Communist Get together (CCP). The alleged scheme concerned fabricating claims that Congress members obtain bribes from Taiwan in change for his or her pro-Taiwan stances.

Whereas this tactic, in accordance with the report, has not but been put to make use of, contemplating the “defensive” nature of the briefings, related narratives have lengthy permeated Chinese language-language propaganda. Chinese language state media Xinhua accuses Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Get together (DPP) of squandering public funds to affect U.S. policymakers. CPPCC Every day , one other main Chinese language outlet, additional alleges Taiwan engages in “propaganda bribery,” concentrating on international legislators, suppose tanks, officers, and media.

A Historic Context of Taiwan’s Lobbying Efforts

Taiwan’s observe of hiring public relations companies to strengthen its ties with Washington is neither new nor uncommon. Within the Seventies and Nineteen Eighties, the Kuomintang (KMT) authorities employed public relations figures like Sidney Baron and later enlisted lobbyists comparable to Peter Hannaford to advocate for restoring Taiwan-U.S. diplomatic relations. Throughout President Lee Teng-hui’s administration, Cassidy & Associates have been employed to help Lee’s U.S. go to in 1995. The DPP continued this method after coming to energy in 2000, working with companies like BGR Group to reinforce Taiwan’s visibility in U.S. coverage circles.

These actions, regulated below the U.S. Overseas Brokers Registration Act (FARA), are commonplace diplomatic practices and are widespread for nations – together with China , which spends considerably on international lobbying. For Taiwan, these efforts are essential given its difficult worldwide setting and reliance on U.S. help. Nevertheless, Chinese language propaganda portrays Taiwan’s lobbying as wasteful and self-serving, alleging it advantages American politicians and the DPP quite than Taiwanese folks. Such claims resurface at any time when Taiwan achieves breakthroughs in its U.S. relationship below the DPP authorities, with China’s state media dismissing progress within the bilateral relations as transactional and opportunistic quite than “value-based” or “rock stable.”

Propaganda Framing: Taiwan Pays for U.S. Assist

Chinese language Communist Get together narratives usually recommend that U.S. help for Taiwan stems from monetary incentives quite than shared democratic values. Chinese language media retailers like CCTV claimed Taiwan’s consultant workplace in Washington employs companies like Empire Consulting Group to sway legislators on points comparable to Taiwan’s inclusion within the Indo-Pacific Financial Framework (IPEF). Equally, members of the Taiwan Caucus within the U.S. Congress are accused of receiving lobbying-driven donations to advocate for Taiwan.

Visits by U.S. lawmakers to Taiwan are one other goal of those narratives. Chinese language media alleged that members of the Taiwan Caucus urged U.S. President Joe Biden to cease in Taiwan throughout his Might 2022 Asia tour on account of monetary incentives from Taiwan. Following then-Home Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s landmark go to in August 2022, the abroad version of Folks’s Every day , the CCP’s official newspaper, steered Senator Ed Markey’s delegation was equally motivated by monetary help from the DPP.

After Consultant Mike Gallagher’s delegation visited Taiwan in February 2024 – which coincided with a maritime conflict between China and Taiwan – Chinese language retailers branded the delegation as “guardian angels” employed by the DPP to take care of long-term quid professional quo relationships.

Chinese language media additionally accuses Taiwan of funding U.S. suppose tanks to unfold the “China menace principle” and pro-Taiwan narratives. The Venture 2049 Institute , a Washington-based suppose tank, was allegedly funded by the DPP to supply reviews essential of China’s army menace. When Taiwan’s then-President Tsai Ing-wen obtained the Hudson Institute’s World Management Award in March 2023, Chinese language media questioned whether or not the award was a return for donations from the Taiwanese authorities.

U.S. Politicians in Taiwan: Enterprise Pursuits or Values?

Chinese language propaganda usually attributes U.S. politicians’ visits to Taiwan to non-public enterprise pursuits. For instance, Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s 2022 go to was framed by China’s World Occasions as an try and safe Taiwanese funding in a personal fairness fund. Equally, Senator Lindsey Graham’s 2022 go to was criticized as a push to spice up Boeing gross sales benefitting his district.

A recurring theme in CCP narratives is the portrayal of U.S. politicians as brokers for arms producers. Chinese language media linked former Senator Chris Dodd ’s 2021 go to to Taiwan’s buy of M109A6 self-propelled howitzers, whereas delegations led by Senator John Cornyn and former Protection Secretary Mark Esper , with ties to the protection trade, have been accused of selling U.S. arms gross sales. Even then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy ’s rumored go to to Taiwan in 2023 was framed as a lobbying effort for protection contractors.

Many of those narratives have been distinguished throughout Pelosi’s Taiwan go to. Chinese language media claimed that the DPP had spent taxpayer cash for years arranging Pelosi’s conferences with Tsai and then-Vice President (and now President) Lai Ching-te. After the go to, CCTV alleged that the DPP employed a lobbyist near Pelosi to facilitate the journey. Guangming Every day , a CCP outlet, additional asserted that Pelosi’s go to aimed to create a cross-strait disaster to legitimize the CHIPS and Science Act, which she had helped cross, suggesting it might entice donations from U.S. semiconductor companies benefiting from the laws.

Voices That Allow CCP Propaganda

Along with immediately attacking Taiwanese authorities and U.S. politicians, CCP propagandists additionally quote different sources to strengthen their claims. They often report the views of Taiwanese netizens or media to “use Taiwanese voices to assault Taiwan.” As an example, Chinese language media spotlight feedback by Taiwanese netizens suggesting visiting U.S. politicians have been incentivized by Taiwanese cash.

CCP outlet China Every day quoted an nameless “netizen” who claimed to “disclose” a contract signed by the DPP with Gephardt Group Authorities Affairs since 2018, purportedly resulting in Pelosi’s go to to Taiwan. World Occasions quoted Taiwanese media alleging that U.S. Congress members’ help for Taiwan begins solely after lobbying efforts initiated by Taiwanese representatives.

Professional-Beijing Taiwanese politicians are additionally generally cited in Chinese language media. Hung Hsiu-chu , a former KMT chair, argued that pro-Taiwan laws in Congress was the results of DPP funding. Tseng Ming-chung , the KMT’s caucus whip, demanded the Taiwanese authorities deal with the query of whether or not Pelosi’s go to was pushed by company pursuits. KMT legislator Wu Sz-huai questioned whether or not the US would stress Taiwan into procuring pointless protection articles after Esper’s go to. KMT legislator Lee De-wei criticized international guests, claiming they solely encourage Taiwan to purchase planes, weapons, and promote chips whereas exhibiting no real intent to spend money on Taiwan.

CCP propagandists additionally cite worldwide media or U.S. politicians to strengthen their claims. Chinese language media pointed to MintPress Information , which alleged that Taiwan funds U.S. suppose tanks to craft pro-Taiwan and anti-China discourse. Likewise, CCTV amplified Consultant Marjorie Taylor Greene ’s tweet accusing Pelosi of risking battle with China throughout her Taiwan go to for her husband’s private portfolio positive factors.

Taiwan-U.S. Relations Undermined

In response to those narratives, the Taiwanese authorities asserts that hiring public relations companies is a routine and mandatory diplomatic observe. It additionally works to deal with malicious disinformation. The Prospect Basis , which hosted Pompeo’s 2022 go to to Taiwan, emphasised that inviting retired officers by means of such companies is commonplace. Taiwan’s Ministry of Overseas Affairs clarified that these efforts are long-standing and unrelated to particular occasions, comparable to Pelosi’s go to.

Moreover, some reviews have been uncovered as fabrications. For instance, claims that Taiwan’s consultant workplace paid the Hudson Institute for Tsai’s award have been discovered to contain pretend paperwork . The “netizen” alleging a DPP lobbying contract with lobbyists near Pelosi had a hacked account , at present below investigation by Taiwanese police.

Regardless of these clarifications, CCP propaganda continues accusing the DPP of losing taxpayer cash on U.S. politicians, stoking grievances amongst Taiwanese residents. It portrays diplomatic efforts as DPP political grandstanding geared toward creating the phantasm of stable Taiwan-U.S. relations, centered extra on American politicians’ private pursuits than real bilateral partnership.

From the U.S. political perspective, such narratives can gasoline inside controversies that hurt international relations. As an example, U.S. support to Ukraine has been questioned on account of allegations of Hunter Biden’s enterprise ties to Ukraine. Equally, accusations just like the one relating to Pelosi’s Taiwan go to might foster public suspicion about politicians’ true motives, undermining public help for alliances and harming U.S. international coverage.

In Taiwan, these narratives might turn out to be fodder for home political strife by associating reliable diplomatic practices with potential corruption and eroding public belief. They might additionally solid doubt on U.S. politicians’ help for Taiwan as value-driven, as an alternative framing it as purely self-serving. Such claims echo broader portrayals of the US as prioritizing “ pursuits over values ” and the narrative of “ U.S. skepticism ,” suggesting that America wouldn't assist defend Taiwan regardless of its politicians’ supportive lip service.

The cynicism behind these narratives undermines Taiwan’s reliable diplomatic practices, framing them as quid professional quo preparations and casting Taiwan-U.S. relations as transactional quite than value-based. This erodes mutual belief amongst allies, hampers home consensus on international coverage, and reduces these efforts to divisive political debates. When politics fails to cease on the water’s edge, authoritarian regimes exploit these divisions to weaken democratic solidarity.