The Ottawa Conference on Security & Defence, focusing on countering authoritarian regimes such as China and Russia, opened today. Yau Chih-hao discussed Taiwan's strategies to counter Chinese interference, sharing the "222 Principle" and the role of civil society organizations.
The annual Ottawa Conference on Security & Defence is Canada's largest and longest-running national security conference, now in its 92nd edition. The opening speech was delivered by Canadian Minister of Defence Bill Blair. Approximately 400 attendees, including officials from the Canadian Global Affairs Department, Defence Department, Finance Department, and National Research Institute, military leaders, diplomatic corps delegates, think tank scholars, experts, and media journalists, were present, making the event significant.
Co-hosted by Yau Chih-hao from the Taiwan Center for Information Environment Research, Ihor Michalchyshyn, Executive Director of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, and Marcus Kolga, founder of the misinformation observation website DisinfoWatch.org, they shared insights on "Foreign Interference and Threats to Democratic Processes." Attendees admired Taiwan's ability to punch above its weight and effectively counter misinformation.
Yau Chih-hao highlighted China's long-term and hybrid threats to Taiwan, aiming to coerce Taiwan into submission, erode its identity, and turn it into a puppet similar to Hong Kong. He mentioned that China's fabricated misinformation distorts the world view, not only undermining Taiwan's sovereignty but also portraying ideologically similar countries like Canada as weak and hypocritical friends, while exaggerating the strength of the Chinese Communist Party and deliberately concealing threats towards Taiwan.
He discussed how China's intervention spans across political, commercial, cultural, and religious domains, while the Taiwanese government, civil society organizations, and media institutions leverage their respective strengths to maintain democratic resilience.
Yau Chih-hao presented practical strategies, such as the "222 Principle" to counter fake news, which emphasizes titles within 20 words, content within 200 words, and inclusion of 2 images, along with immediate responses within 1 hour of an event to halt the spread of fake news.
He emphasized the effectiveness of using humor and creativity to combat misinformation. He cited an example during the COVID-19 pandemic when rumors led to panic buying of toilet paper in Taiwan. Premier Su Tseng-chang responded by posting a card with a silhouette that read "We only have one butt," indicating that people only need a limited amount of toilet paper. This example elicited laughter from the audience and left a lasting impression.
When asked about balancing combating misinformation with freedom of speech, Yau Chih-hao explained that his organization collects extensive data and evidence, conducts meticulous analysis, and ultimately publishes detailed methodologies for public scrutiny to establish greater credibility.
He underscored the importance of education in raising awareness of misinformation across all age groups, while attendees admired the proactive involvement of Taiwanese civil society groups in combating misinformation.
After the conference, when asked why he, originally a digital art expert, became a pioneer in combating misinformation, Yau Chih-hao shrugged and said, "Because I love Taiwan and am concerned about the threat from China to this land."
