Influencer's trip counters DPP claims

A Taiwan internet influencer's recent trip to the Chinese mainland, livestreamed to millions online, aimed to counter negative perceptions about the mainland propagated by some separatist forces in Taiwan.

Chen Chih-han, also known as "Guan Zhang" or "gym boss", returned to Taiwan on Sunday evening, having concluded a six-day "truth-seeking" trip that took him from Shanghai to Hangzhou in Zhejiang province.

Chen said the purpose of his trip was to "fact-check" claims made by some politicians from the Democratic Progressive Party, including some assertions about the lack of backrests on high-speed rail seats, questions about whether restrooms had doors, and if people really ate pickled vegetables with every meal.

"I want to see it for myself, and let the people see it too," Chen told reporters at Taipei airport before his departure on June 10.

His livestream began shortly after he landed in Shanghai, and quickly gained traction online.

Within hours, more than 270,000 people watched him ride the maglev train, check into his hotel, and walk the city streets. During the train ride, Chen pointed to the backrests on every seat, saying, "Come out and face this," a direct jab at what he called DPP politicians' misrepresentation of the mainland to Taiwan residents.

During his live broadcasts, Chen said he was impressed by the "basic amenities" he came by, including sensor taps that had warm water and readily available hand soap in public restrooms in Shanghai.

On Wednesday morning, he continued his tour with a visit to Shanghai's bustling Xujiahui commercial district, where he expressed awe at the city's skyline.

"Don't hesitate, come to Shanghai and take a look," he urged. "Don't just watch my livestream. Come travel here, see the cars, the buildings, and how people live. If you only listen to what the DPP says, you'll never know the truth."

Upon arrival back to Taiwan on Sunday night, he told journalists gathered for an interview posted online, that he was willing to visit other cities and encouraged more island residents to travel to the mainland.

Zhu Fenglian, spokeswoman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, encouraged more internet influencers like Chen to experience the mainland and share their impressions objectively. She was speaking at a press conference on Wednesday in Beijing.

The comment section of Chen's livestream was flooded with reactions from viewers on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. Many thanked him for showcasing the mainland's progress and called for stronger cross-Strait exchanges.

One viewer in Taiwan, who had lived on the mainland for eight years, wrote, "I hope this livestream can reach people who still hold biases — it's really not what you think."

As Chen ate snacks — tea eggs, instant noodles, and pickled vegetables — gifted to him on the mainland, ironically satirizing claims by some Taiwan politicians that mainland people couldn't afford tea eggs, some netizens in Taiwan commented that they realized they were the ones trapped in an "information bubble".

Xu Xiaoquan, a deputy researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of Taiwan Studies, said that for a long time, the DPP authorities have been "demonizing" the mainland, resulting in the spread of absurd fallacies about the mainland in Taiwan.

Xu added that the DPP authorities obstruct cross-Strait exchanges, aiming to keep Taiwan people perpetually within a fabricated "information bubble".

However, he stated that once Taiwan residents visit the mainland and witness its rapid development, the lies concocted by the DPP will immediately unravel.

"That's why the DPP authorities recently incited the 'pro-independence' media to attack the internet influencer Chen's visit, as they fear island residents breaking through the 'information bubble' on the island to see the real mainland," he said.

Xinhua contributed to this story.

zhangyi1@chinadaily.com.cn