《TAIPEI TIMES》China fears Taiwan’s cultural influence: minister

Representative to Thailand Peter Lan speaks at the opening ceremony of the Taiwan Documentary and Film Festival in Thailand at House Samyan cinema in Bangkok on Wednesday. Photo courtesy of Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Thailand via CNA

THAILAND FESTIVAL: Li Yuan said ‘culture is very powerful’ as he touted Taiwan’s contributions to the Thai event, which did not comply with calls to remove a logo

Staff writer, with CNA China fears Taiwan’s cultural influence, Minister of Culture Li Yuan （李遠） said yesterday, after organizers of a Taiwanese film festival in Thailand reportedly faced pressure from people claiming to represent the Chinese embassy to remove the Ministry of Culture’s logo from promotional materials.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Comic Exhibition in Taipei, Li thanked the Thai organizers for refusing to remove the logo, saying that the incident showed Beijing was “using every possible means” to suppress Taiwan internationally and is scared of the nation’s soft power.

“Culture is very powerful,” Li said. “China is very afraid of Taiwan’s cultural strength.”

The festival showcases Taiwan’s cultural diversity, featuring Ang Lee’s （李安） classics Pushing Hands （推手） and The Wedding Banquet （囍宴）, alongside documentaries and newer Taiwanese productions such as The Waves Will Carry Us （人生海海） and La Paloma （傳奇女伶高菊花）, he said.

Beijing fears Taiwan’s cultural output, as it reflects freedom and diversity, with films, documentaries, comics, picture books and literature addressing subjects that cannot be explored in China, he said.

Li also highlighted the growing international reach of Taiwan’s comics industry, saying that more works are being translated into foreign languages, while Taiwanese comics draw on Japanese manga and European styles, and tackle themes ranging from history and literary adaptations to LGBTQ issues.

Li’s remarks came after Bangkok-based news Web site Khaosod English reported that days before the festival opened in the Thai capital on Wednesday, people identifying themselves as Chinese embassy officials called and later visited two cinemas hosting the event, demanding the removal of the ministry’s logo.

Thida Plitpholkarnpim, head of the Documentary Club, which co-organized the festival, said that a caller speaking Thai with a Chinese accent became threatening after she refused the request, while another embassy official visited one of the cinemas the following day to repeat the demand, Khaosod English reported.

Plitpholkarnpim told the Web site that it was the first alleged attempt by the Chinese embassy to interfere with the festival in its eight-year history.

Khaosod English said that China did not respond to a request for comment.

Representative to Thailand Peter Lan （藍夏禮） said he had not been contacted by Thai government officials over the alleged intervention attempt.

The five-day festival, which runs through Sunday, in Bangkok and Khon Kaen, is screening 17 Taiwanese films.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said its representative office in Thailand was closely monitoring the situation, was in close contact with the organizers, and would continue to follow developments to safeguard Taiwan’s dignity and interests.

The ministry thanked the organizers for standing firm against what it called China’s “improper interference and pressure.”

新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES