The Orange County Cultural and Educational Center held the “Overseas Preliminary Forum of the 113th Overseas Chinese Affairs Committee” on June 15th. The forum focused on themes such as “China’s united front work, gathering from afar overseas” and “Uniting to protect Taiwan, relying on our collective efforts.” It aimed to remind overseas Chinese nationals to be vigilant against the false information spread by the Chinese Communist Party and not to be influenced by their psychological warfare.
The 113th Overseas Chinese Affairs Committee of the Republic of China will be held in Taipei from September 10th to 12th. San Diego Overseas Chinese Affairs Committee Xie Jiashu, along with newly appointed Orange County Overseas Chinese Affairs Committee members Wang Weixing and Chen Qigeng, will return to Taiwan to participate in the meeting. They will gather insights and suggestions reflecting the needs of the overseas Chinese community and national interests before their departure.
Since 2022, the U.S. Department of Justice has brought charges in multiple cases involving Chinese agents, affecting individuals in various fields, revealing the widespread attempts by the Chinese Communist Party to interfere in the economies and politics of other countries. Xiao Beiru, director of the Orange Center, stressed that open democratic societies face challenges from the Chinese Communist Party’s manipulation of false information, urging overseas Chinese to join hands with the people of Taiwan to uphold the core values of democracy and freedom.
Xie Jiashu stated that in recent years, the Chinese Communist Party’s efforts to “unite front” against Taiwan continue to strengthen, attempting to mobilize all economic and political forces to counter the “enemy.” He emphasized that overseas compatriots have access to many international mainstream figures, and in the face of misinformation, they must explain and counter it promptly to ensure that correct information reaches international friends.
Wang Weixing pledged to strive for better services for overseas Chinese and to voice support for Taiwan on the international stage. He pointed out that in the era of developed internet and artificial intelligence, discerning true and false information has become more challenging. Before sharing posts on social media, overseas Chinese must carefully verify the information to avoid inadvertently becoming spreaders of false news.
Chen Qigeng expressed his commitment to encouraging more young Taiwanese-Americans to join the overseas Chinese community. He hopes to attract overseas young people to learn about and connect with Taiwan through different platforms. Regarding misinformation, overseas Chinese need to work together with the people of Taiwan to set things right. He and two other committee members will bring back suggestions and ideas from the San Diego and Orange County overseas Chinese communities to present to relevant government departments in Taiwan.
Ji Qin-yao, Director of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Los Angeles, attended the meeting and presented honorary appointment letters to the new overseas Chinese Affairs Committee members in Orange County and San Diego areas. He praised the two new committee members for their youth and willingness to support the Taiwan government, serve the overseas Chinese community, and advocate for the Republic of China abroad.
Xiao Beiru thanked all the honorary committee members for participating in the meeting and acknowledged their contributions during the Asian Pacific American Heritage Month in May. She emphasized the importance of integrating overseas Chinese affairs into the mainstream and pledged to work harder in the areas of connecting with overseas Chinese, educational policies, and business services.
Nearly 40 individuals, including honorary overseas Chinese affairs personnel, community leaders, school administrators, and young overseas Chinese, attended the meeting, providing feedback on overseas Chinese affairs.
Advisory Committee member Yang Chixun vowed to continue efforts to support Taiwan’s accession to the World Health Organization and establish a platform for young Taiwanese-American doctors to connect with different generations of Taiwanese-American professionals to contribute to Taiwan.
Advisory Committee member Fu Jiakang suggested coordinating various government departments in Taiwan to establish a searchable information platform providing data such as average salaries and electricity consumption to counter various false online rumors.
Adviser Shen Baiwen also noted the Chinese Communist Party’s efforts to strengthen information and psychological warfare. He urged overseas Chinese to further verify Taiwan-related information they receive. However, some communities avoid discussing “politics,” which could inadvertently support the growth of false information. Politics is closely related to economics, life, and is everyone’s concern. Overreacting should be avoided.
Guo Xiumei proposed lateral connections between overseas Chinese entrepreneurs and honorary personnel, promoting mutual understanding among Taiwanese Americans in Orange County and San Diego to foster unity. Huang Hefen advocated for Taiwanese-American participation in various celebrations and parades in mainstream American society, such as the upcoming Independence Day, where the “Team Taiwan” will unite Taiwanese-Americans to voice support for Taiwan.
Lin Cuiyun urged the 1.5 and second generation Taiwanese-Americans to join the overseas Chinese community and called for a change in the perception of Chinese people to encourage Taiwanese youth to enter American politics. Asian-Americans should not remain silent and passively ignore issues. Xu Zhansheng, an Advisory Committee member, suggested intergenerational connections to promote younger generations helping the elderly and other similar programs.