How Taiwanese Media Reinforces China’s Domestic Propaganda
Abstract
Beijing’s foreign propaganda targets a variety of audiences—from Global South citizens to overseas Chinese and even audiences inside China. How does Beijing’s foreign propaganda serve its domestic audience? Drawing on news sources and 21 expert interviews conducted in Taiwan, this study shows how Chinese foreign propaganda ‘boomerangs’ back to its domestic audience, helping to legitimize the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) domestic narratives. The case of Taiwan shows how the CCP leverages foreign media to circumvent media restrictions—via economic incentives and infiltration channels—to amplify existing civic discourse that aligns with China’s domestic propaganda narratives. The CCP then rebroadcasts Taiwanese news through state-run media, providing external validation to legitimize its domestic propaganda.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Media Studies and Communication
China's Socioeconomic Reforms and Governance
Hong Kong and Taiwan Politics
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Journal of Contemporary China
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Volume
- 35
- Issue
- 161
- Pages
- 1853–1871
- Publication date
- 16 February 2026
- Language
- EN