TAO refutes DPP’s claims of Chinese interference

TAIPEI (TVBS News) — China's Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) spokesman Chen Binhua on Thursday (Jan. 4) accused the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) of deflecting blame on mainland China in an attempt to conceal its politicians' wrongdoings. The allegations, he believes, have become a "laughing stock."

The TAO's statement came in response to the DPP's claim that Chinese cyber forces were responsible for the controversy surrounding DPP legislator Lo Chih-cheng's alleged sex tape.

The controversy erupted when Next Digital, a news website, alleged Lo to be the man in the explicit video. Lo suggested it was an act of election intervention by foreign cyber armies, and that the footage was manipulated using deepfake technology.

Addressing the issue, DPP presidential candidate Lai Ching-te stated that this incident proves the extent of China's intrusion in the elections. He insists that Lo is a victim of deepfake videos, referencing a similar incident involving Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, implying that the source of these attacks is the same nation.

Lo also condemned the defamatory tactics used to sway the election and warned against spreading such fabricated news as legal repercussions could follow, adding that he had already reported it to the New Taipei City Investigation Bureau.

Despite the DPP's legal efforts to prove their innocence, TAO spokesman Chen Binhua argued that the DPP habitually attacks and tarnishes mainland China during Taiwan's elections. Chen stressed the importance of acknowledging mistakes within the party and accused the DPP of resorting to rumormongering about mainland China to mask its impropriety and corruption.