The Taiwan Foundation for Democracy held the East Asia Democracy Forum on Wednesday. At the event, Global Taiwan Institute scholar J. Michael Cole warned of an imbalance between democratic and authoritarian states, with authoritarian regimes, particularly China and Russia, employing sharp power to weaken democratic institutions.
Cole says China’s use of disinformation, particularly during recent Joint Sword 2024-B drills, is evidence of its ongoing efforts to undermine democracy. He highlighted how false narratives, that the drills were triggered by President Lai Ching-te’s (賴清德) National Day speech, spread on social media earlier this week. Cole says this has the potential to mislead international observers into believing Taiwan is at fault for escalating tensions.
Cole also expressed concerns that democracies are losing a critical sense of urgency in addressing the threats posed by authoritarian regimes. He says that during his 19 years living in Taiwan, he has witnessed firsthand the constant military threats and political operations from China. However, Cole pointed out that people living in places like Washington, D.C., may not feel this same sense of urgency, leading to a dangerous asymmetry between the democratic and authoritarian camps.