Will Taiwan's Stock Market Collapse? Rumors of Hillary Clinton Urging 'Abandoning Taiwan' and China's Investment Ban Circulate — Report Reveals Latest Data on Mainland Investment

Amid rising geopolitical tensions, rumors have circulated online ahead of the upcoming 'Trump-Xi meeting' on September 24 in Washington between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. First, a video claiming that former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urged Taiwan to 'abandon resistance' sparked debate. However, fact-checking platform MyGoPen clarified on September 15 that this was a misinterpretation. In an interview with MS NOW on September 10, Clinton discussed lessons from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, suggesting that if the U.S. becomes entangled in a war with Iran, it might weaken its defense posture, leading Xi Jinping to think Taiwan might be pressured into surrendering due to lack of U.S. support. This was a speculative statement about Xi’s possible thinking, not a call for Taiwan to surrender.

Separately, another rumor claimed that China had announced a suspension of investment into Taiwan, allegedly reported by Xinhua News Agency, causing panic among Taiwanese citizens, stock market declines, and even bank runs. MyGoPen’s investigation revealed the original source was the YouTube channel 'Xiao Jiu Manhua Shuwu,' a typical 'farm channel' known for using AI-generated voiceovers with unverified footage.

Regarding the claim that 'China has suspended investment into Taiwan,' no such official announcement has been made by Chinese authorities, including Xinhua, the State Council, the Ministry of Commerce, or the Taiwan Affairs Office. According to Taiwan’s Ministry of Economic Affairs’ Investment Commission’s latest 'Monthly Report on Investment in Mainland China,' from January to August 2023, there were 15 approved investment cases from mainland China into Taiwan, totaling approximately USD 8.337 million—over 90% lower than the same period last year. While investment has sharply declined, there is no official suspension.

These rumors highlight how AI-generated disinformation can rapidly spread during times of geopolitical uncertainty, causing unnecessary panic. Reliable fact-checking and media literacy are essential to counter misinformation.