TaiwanPlus faces budget cuts amid political battle over the island's narrative

Opposition lawmakers in Taiwan's Legislative Yuan have proposed cutting up to 30% of the Public Television Service budget, threatening the funding of English-language broadcaster TaiwanPlus.

Legislators from the opposition Kuomintang have introduced a bill that could slash as much as 30% of the Public Television Service's budget, effectively starving TaiwanPlus of most of its operating funds. TaiwanPlus, an English-language channel overseen by PTS, has emerged as Taiwan's primary vehicle for delivering an authoritative view of its history and current affairs to global audiences, countering Beijing's increasingly sophisticated propaganda network that draws on Russian and Iranian coordination.

The funding cut is seen as part of a larger political struggle over Taiwan's identity and its relationship with China, especially as the KMT, led by Cheng Li-wun, pursues a more Beijing-friendly posture compared with President Lai Ching-te's Democratic Progressive Party. Despite being outspent by the Chinese Communist Party's multi-billion-dollar media apparatus, TaiwanPlus is regarded as a credible source, ranking among the island's most trusted news outlets in one outlet Institute 2026 Digital News Report.

The debate highlights how the contest for international perception has become as critical as military balance in the Taiwan Strait. Observers warn that weakening TaiwanPlus could diminish the island's ability to shape global narratives and resist Chinese information operations.