Bullying Bylines
China’s government-run Xinhua News Agency published three consecutive commentaries on October 26, 27, and 28 under the byline “Zhong Taiwen” (鍾台文), a homophone for “China Commentary on the Taiwan Issue.” The articles called for cross-strait negotiations on a “one country, two systems” arrangement with “patriots governing Taiwan” (愛國者治台) after unification. Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council responded that Beijing seeks to replicate Hong Kong’s model where “patriots” means Communist Party loyalists, and warned that “Taiwanese will not be fooled.”