‘Tramples on democracy’: Beijing slams Taiwan’s year-long Xiaohongshu ban

“It tramples on democracy, obstructs freedom, and brutally deprives Taiwanese – especially the youth – of their right to information and freedom to use social media platforms.”

Chen added that the ban also hurts the livelihoods of those in Taiwan who make a living through Xiaohongshu.

He further warned that the DPP’s “wanton and arbitrary” actions will backfire, and that it cannot stop the Taiwanese people, especially youths, from learning about the mainland and building friendships with mainland Chinese.

Beijing’s criticism comes amid pushback in Taiwan. According to SCMP, many have accused the DPP of overreach and damaging the island’s reputation for open internet access.

Since the ban was announced, Xiaohongshu has been climbing app store charts in Taiwan – even topping the list at one point – while one of the most downloaded utility apps in this same period has been a virtual private network (VPN) service, according to reports.

It suggests users are seeking to circumvent the block and continue using Xiaohongshu.

“The more you ban, the more people want it,” said popular Taiwanese influencer Cheap, who has more than 1 million followers.

“The government’s warning has become the best free advertising,” he added, calling it a textbook case of prohibition fuelling curiosity.

Cheng Li-wen, chairwoman of the Kuomintang, Taiwan’s main opposition party, noted how Xiaohongshu did not rank among the top platforms for scams on the island.

“This is selective censorship,” Cheng added. “The DPP is building a great firewall.”