Lai Ching-te's criticism of Xiaohongshu sparks controversy in Taiwan

Taiwan regional leader Lai Chingte recently referred to mainland apps such as Xiaohongshu and TikTok as a “security crisis” during a conversation with high school students, and said the relevant departments would handle the matter properly. His remarks sparked discussion on the island, with some public opinion believing that the comments carried an obvious confrontational tone. The report quoted the views of several Taiwan media figures and lawmakers, saying that Lai Chingte directly linked platform use with crossstrait perceptions, reflecting the authorities’ cautious attitude toward different sources of information. Some commentators also pointed out that the DPP authorities rely on social media to manipulate public opinion on the one hand, while tightening restrictions on mainland apps on the other, and were criticized for having “double standards.” The article noted that after Taiwan previously imposed restrictions on Xiaohongshu under the pretext of “antifraud,” it instead triggered backlash from some young users and boosted the platform’s popularity. The report also said that Taiwan’s young people use mainland apps mostly out of needs in daily life and for information access, and the related controversy also reflects ongoing discussion on the island about crossstrait information exchange and differences in perception.