Xiaohongshu Photo: IC

When the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities pressed the "block" button on the lifestyle-sharing social media platform Xiaohongshu (also known as RedNote) under the pretext of so-called information security, the daily routines of more than 3 million residents on Taiwan island were abruptly disrupted. Overnight, late-night food guides from the mainland, workplace tips, cultural interpretations, and practical content that help young graduates plan their careers or keep up with trends have suddenly become "contraband."

But is Xiaohongshu really "unsafe"? The truth the DPP dares not admit is hidden in its panicked excuses, in Taiwan youth's longing for the real world, and even more so in the growing awakening of Taiwan society.

The DPP authorities claim to be "fighting fraud" and protecting "information security," but in reality, they are making no attempt to conceal their malicious suppression. Using "fraud concerns" as a pretext, they targeted a social platform from the mainland while deliberately ignoring the fact that most Taiwan users use Xiaohongshu to learn skills, share daily life stories, and seek inspiration. Such a clumsy excuse once again exposes the DPP's true colors of "blaming the mainland for everything" and "rules for you, none for us." Unsurprisingly, many Taiwan netizens found it hard to accept.

Some mocked: "Phone scams are the worst in Taiwan - why doesn't the DPP ban phones?" Another said, "I heard most people get scammed through Facebook groups, not Xiaohongshu." One joked, "If Xiaohongshu were renamed 'Little Green Book', would it avoid being banned?" Some youngsters were even more blunt: "We don't talk politics on Xiaohongshu. We just look at lifestyle content and make friends from the mainland." It is precisely this pure need for exchange that strikes at the heart of the DPP's deepest fear - that compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Straits can establish connections through genuine information. Clearly, the DPP authorities' pretext of so-called "information security" only exposes their inner fears and anxieties.

That anxiety comes from the ongoing collapse of the lies they have been carefully constructing for a long time. For years, the DPP has tried to indoctrinate the public with narratives of a "backward mainland" and "confrontation across the Straits," attempting to keep Taiwan residents trapped in an information cocoon. But on Xiaohongshu, the colorful lives, diverse cultures, and innovative technologies shared by mainland users - along with their openness, sincerity, and kindness - shine a light through cracks.

When young Taiwan residents see their peers on the mainland recording their entrepreneurial journeys, showcasing local food and folk traditions, demonstrating warmth and goodwill, and when they witness firsthand the rapid development of the mainland, the DPP's manufactured myths naturally collapse. What frightens the DPP even more is that this awakening continues to spread. The massive viewership in Taiwan of the V-day military parade livestream was a striking example: millions watched on their own initiative, and the "mainland threat" narrative was punctured by direct observation. 

By blocking Xiaohongshu, the DPP is pushing further down the path of creating a "green terror." From obstructing cross-Straits university cooperation to restricting Taiwan residents from traveling and exchanging with the mainland, the DPP is using blunt force to sever natural bonds across the Straits. What they forget, however, is that the flow of information and the transmission of emotion have never been something they can truly stop - just as they once failed to stop the parade livestream from spreading across the island, or to stop comments like "proud to be Chinese" from going viral.

After the Xiaohongshu ban, Taiwan media comment sections quickly filled with criticism such as "how useless" and "we'd be better off banning the DPP instead." These voices speak clearly for where public sentiment lies.

The frustration of more than 3 million users is, in fact, a wake-up call. What Taiwan residents want has never been "protection" wrapped in lies, but the pursuit of a better life; not the constant tension of cross-Straits confrontation, but the warmth of mutual exchange. The DPP may be able to "block" one mainland platform after another, but it cannot block the reality of the mainland's development, it cannot block the genuine will of compatriots on both sides of the Straits to connect and grow closer, and it certainly cannot block the historical trend toward China's eventual reunification.

Truth will not remain silent, and public awareness is awakening. As more and more people see through the nature of the DPP's political manipulation and choose to break free from its information cage, the edifice of lies it has so carefully built will inevitably collapse. The growing public demand in Taiwan for exchange, for peace, and for truth will only become stronger and clearer.

The author is a commentator on international affairs. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn