Cheng Chu-mei: Freedom Is Not Given From Above; Lying Flat Will Not Bring True Peace
Cheng Chu-mei emphasizes that freedom is earned through people's struggle, not handed down. She highlights contemporary challenges to freedom of speech in the digital age, including AI-generated disinformation, and links it to the necessity of sovereign independence.
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- 📰 Published: April 7, 2026 at 21:19
- 🔍 Collected: April 7, 2026 at 22:00 (41 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 20, 2026 at 13:26 (303h 25m after Collected)
Minister of the Interior Liu Shih-fang spoke at the Freedom of Speech Day commemorative lecture, emphasizing that technological advancements bring significant challenges to freedom of speech. Cheng Chu-mei, Chairperson of the Foundation for the Advancement of Taiwanese Democracy (DDP Foundation), stated that freedom is obtained through the people's struggle and is not innate. She connected current threats to freedom of speech to sovereign independence, asserting that both are indispensable. She also pointed out AI-generated content as a new threat.
Liu Shih-fang stated in her speech that freedom of speech carries weight in Taiwan. From the era of authoritarianism, where speech was confined to small voices at home, it has been supported by the public through numerous democratic movements, thus building Taiwan's democratic legal society.
Liu Shih-fang noted that with technological progress and democratic evolution, freedom of speech has entered a digital era without visible boundaries or borders, bringing immense challenges. She stressed that freedom of speech in a democratic society must be protected by law, meaning individual speech should not infringe upon others' freedom, nor should it be spread through war, force, rumors, or other unacceptable means.
Liu Shih-fang pointed out that Taiwan's freedom of speech gains its weight from the contributions of many democratic predecessors like Yeh Chu-lan. She expressed hope that this weight will continue to grow and pledged to work together with everyone.
Cheng Chu-mei stated that when Zheng Nan-rong passed away in 1989, Taiwan had already lifted martial law, but Article 100 of the Criminal Code and the Statute for the Punishment of Rebellion were still in effect. Other laws restricting people's freedom of speech were only amended after social movements fought for them in 1992 and 1993. Therefore, freedom has never fallen from the sky but has been fought for by the people; lying flat cannot bring true peace.
Cheng Chu-mei mentioned that the cover headline of TIME Magazine after Zheng Nan-rong's death was 'Will China Invade Taiwan?'. Thirty-seven years later, Chinese military aircraft fly around Taiwan daily, repeatedly infringing upon Taiwan's sovereign rights. Zheng Nan-rong advocated for freedom of speech and Taiwan's independence, and these two are inseparable. Taiwan must maintain its sovereign independence to possibly preserve its space for freedom of speech; if Taiwan's sovereignty is threatened, freedom of speech may also be endangered.
Cheng Chu-mei noted that in recent years, AI-generated videos have infiltrated daily life, posing a substantial threat to freedom of speech in Taiwan today. Threats to freedom of speech are not just about being silenced but can also stem from personal statements based on false information. The way to counter this is to return to genuine human trust and interaction to build a better foundation for speech, so related discussions must be based on facts, and individuals should be responsible for their own words. (Editor: Lin Hsing-meng) 2026-04-07
Liu Shih-fang stated in her speech that freedom of speech carries weight in Taiwan. From the era of authoritarianism, where speech was confined to small voices at home, it has been supported by the public through numerous democratic movements, thus building Taiwan's democratic legal society.
Liu Shih-fang noted that with technological progress and democratic evolution, freedom of speech has entered a digital era without visible boundaries or borders, bringing immense challenges. She stressed that freedom of speech in a democratic society must be protected by law, meaning individual speech should not infringe upon others' freedom, nor should it be spread through war, force, rumors, or other unacceptable means.
Liu Shih-fang pointed out that Taiwan's freedom of speech gains its weight from the contributions of many democratic predecessors like Yeh Chu-lan. She expressed hope that this weight will continue to grow and pledged to work together with everyone.
Cheng Chu-mei stated that when Zheng Nan-rong passed away in 1989, Taiwan had already lifted martial law, but Article 100 of the Criminal Code and the Statute for the Punishment of Rebellion were still in effect. Other laws restricting people's freedom of speech were only amended after social movements fought for them in 1992 and 1993. Therefore, freedom has never fallen from the sky but has been fought for by the people; lying flat cannot bring true peace.
Cheng Chu-mei mentioned that the cover headline of TIME Magazine after Zheng Nan-rong's death was 'Will China Invade Taiwan?'. Thirty-seven years later, Chinese military aircraft fly around Taiwan daily, repeatedly infringing upon Taiwan's sovereign rights. Zheng Nan-rong advocated for freedom of speech and Taiwan's independence, and these two are inseparable. Taiwan must maintain its sovereign independence to possibly preserve its space for freedom of speech; if Taiwan's sovereignty is threatened, freedom of speech may also be endangered.
Cheng Chu-mei noted that in recent years, AI-generated videos have infiltrated daily life, posing a substantial threat to freedom of speech in Taiwan today. Threats to freedom of speech are not just about being silenced but can also stem from personal statements based on false information. The way to counter this is to return to genuine human trust and interaction to build a better foundation for speech, so related discussions must be based on facts, and individuals should be responsible for their own words. (Editor: Lin Hsing-meng) 2026-04-07