China Pressures Thai Organizers to Remove Taiwan Festival Logos

Organizers of the Taiwan Documentary and Film Festival in Thailand report that officials from the Chinese embassy attempted to pressure them into removing the Taiwan Ministry of Culture logo from promotional materials. According to Thida Plitpholkarnpim, director of the Documentary Club, embassy officials first contacted two cinemas in Bangkok via telephone on Tuesday, with one caller becoming threatening after the request was refused. This was followed by an in-person visit from an individual claiming to be an embassy official.

Li Yuan, Taiwan's Minister of Culture, criticized the interference and asserted that Beijing is attempting to isolate Taiwan internationally and suppress its soft power. Li stated that China is afraid of Taiwan's cultural strength and praised the organizers for refusing to comply. Meanwhile, Peter Lan, Taiwan's representative to Thailand, noted that he had received no communication from Thai authorities regarding the incident.

The five-day festival, which showcases 17 films including works by Ang Lee, continues to run through Sunday in Bangkok and Khon Kaen. The Taiwan Ministry of Foreign Affairs is monitoring the situation to safeguard its interests following the reported attempts to stifle freedom of expression.