Taiwan bans China residents from publishing recall ads

TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The Executive Yuan Gazette Online officially announced on Thursday (Oct. 5) that foreign individuals, residents from Mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macao, and their legal entities, organizations, or other institutions are prohibited from applying to publish election recall advertisements. 

Violators can face fines from NT＄200,000 to NT＄10 million, or twice the advertisement fees. Those who fund such ads are also within the restrictive boundary.

The new regulation released by the Central Election Commission (CEC) applies to the upcoming 2024 presidential and legislative elections. Advertisers or their agents must submit applications and affidavits in advance to the entrusted publishers. If the advertiser and funder are different from one another, the funder should be included.

Anyone who violates these regulations can be penalized. Publishers and agents should not accept non-compliant ads and terminate contracts, restrict viewing, or remove the content if they learn of non-compliance after publishing.