TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Cabinet said Sunday that Chinese pressure, which led to the cancellation of a digital rights conference in Zambia, was aimed at isolating Taiwan internationally.
Citing a report by Semafor, the Cabinet's Department of Human Rights and Transitional Justice said that RightsCon 2026, originally planned in Lusaka, Zambia, was called off after China sought to exclude Taiwanese participants, per CNA. The move also scaled down events tied to UNESCO’s World Press Freedom Day in the same city.
The department said the summit is a major international platform for exchanges on digital rights. This year’s agenda had included digital sovereignty, cybersecurity, AI governance, disinformation, online surveillance, and protections for minorities such as LGBT+ communities and Indigenous peoples.
The department said that on Friday, the organizer, Access Now, condemned China’s interference in civil society dialogue and urged global partners to remain united on digital rights issues. It added that Beijing aimed to “force the international community to ignore Taiwan’s free and democratic system” and silence human rights advocates speaking out against authoritarian surveillance and repression, CNA reported.
Such actions, the department said, reflect the authoritarian threats the summit seeks to counter. It added that the cancellation deprived Taiwanese civil society groups of opportunities for international engagement and underscored the need for closer cooperation with global civil society to strengthen digital and democratic resilience.
The department said the government will prioritize addressing risks posed by digital technologies to vulnerable groups while strengthening cooperation with foreign governments, NGOs, and other stakeholders, according to CNA. It added that Taiwan will continue safeguarding fundamental rights, including privacy, freedom of expression, equality and non-discrimination, and protection from digital gender-based violence, while promoting technological innovation.
