Radio Taiwan International (Rti) joined with Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), the American Institute in Taiwan, the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association, the Australian Office, and the Canadian Trade Office in Taipei in hosting a Global Cooperation and Training Framework (GCTF) International Workshop from September 9 to 11, 2025. Themed “Building Democratic Resilience: The Role of Media Literacy in Defending the Information Space,” the event brought together nearly 140 government officials, NGO representatives, and scholars and experts from 26 countries.
The workshop highlighted the importance of strengthening media literacy to enhance democratic societies’ ability to counter disinformation and external interference. Discussions covered a wide range of topics, including election monitoring, fact-checking, the impact of emerging technologies, private sector responses, and social media literacy. The program also featured dedicated sessions spotlighting youth engagement and international cooperation. Young leaders shared hands-on experiences, while participants exchanged strategies and best practices for combating disinformation—underscoring the shared determination of democracies to confront information challenges together.
The organisers also arranged site visits for international participants to Radio Taiwan International and the National 228 Memorial Museum. These visits provided deeper insights into Taiwan’s efforts in advancing democracy and safeguarding information freedom, further enriching the workshop’s breadth and depth of exchanges
In her opening remarks at the event, Radio Taiwan International (Rti) Chairperson Cheryl Lai (pictured) noted that as of September 9 this year, Taiwan’s democracy has officially persisted longer than its period of martial law. She stressed that although Taiwan has become a vibrant democratic society since the transition and enjoys the benefits of free speech and free press, that does not mean there are no challenges. Lai pointed out that with the rise of AI, disinformation often spreads faster than it can be corrected. To improve societal resilience against fake news and cognitive warfare, it is therefore crucial to improve citizens’ media literacy.
Lai also pointed out that Rti has gained international recognition in recent years and that, as a key national infrastructure, it has been committed to combating information warfare.
The GCTF was first established by Taiwan and the U.S. in 2015 with the goal of leveraging Taiwan’s unique strengths and expertise to jointly organise training programs on issues of mutual concern. With the subsequent addition of Japan, Australia, and Canada as official partners, it has become a multilateral platform; over the past decade, GCTF has held more than 90 international workshops and attracted thousands of experts and officials from 135 countries.
