ELECTION 2024/Fake news plays up 'anxiety' in Taiwan over cross-strait war: Fact-check center

Taipei, Jan. 6 (CNA) Disinformation about the possibility of a military conflict across the Taiwan Strait has become prevalent ahead of Taiwan's Jan. 13 presidential election, the Taiwan FactCheck Center (TFC) said Friday.

The increasing volume of out-of-context information and fabricated rumors pertaining to a possible cross-strait war is being created to fuel anxiety among the Taiwan population, as the election draws near, said the TFC, a non-governmental organization that was established in 2018 to do fact checking.

Analyzing disinformation linked to cross-strait conflict that emerged in 2023, the TFC said the fake news creators have been attempting to draw a stark contrast between the Taiwanese and Chinese military, painting the latter as a hugely dominant force.

The fake news narrative also portrays the United States as a country that is incapable of protecting Taiwan and may even sacrifice Taiwan's safety if necessary, the TFC said.

According to the center, the fake reports also claim "the Taiwanese government has started drafting civilians, even older ones, in preparation for war."

The TFC said the disinformation about Taiwan's military conscription surged last year amid growing public calls in Taiwan for better civil defense preparation and as the country's Ministry of National Defense (MND) was proposing an amendment to the "All-out Defense Mobilization Readiness Act."

According to the MND's draft amendment, the government will plan how best to mobilize civilians, including members of the alternative military service, to ensure that the country is well prepared in peacetime and has adequate resources in the event of a national emergency.

As part for emergency preparations, the Ministry of Education should examine the possibility of maintaining a list of Taiwanese students over the age of 16, the MND proposed.

The TFC said that some Taiwanese media outlets, however, have distorted the news, claiming that the government is planning to deploy students to fight and will force young people to manufacture weapons, in the event of a war.