China Power | Society | East Asia
The voice chat app’s brief moment in the sun revealed the stark difference in how Chinese and Taiwanese users experience the internet.
Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen often attempts to defuse tensions with Beijing by calling for dialogue between people on both sides of the strait. Chinese bans on tourism, international students, and free access to the internet usually make this impossible.
That changed dramatically last week thanks to the audio-chat app Clubhouse, which was blocked by Chinese authorities on February 8 after exploding in popularity among Chinese-language users eager to discuss topics…