An overseas Chinese military-focused social media commentator known as “Speak Truthful Words Xu” (“說真話的徐某人”) posted an audio recording on X on December 18, alleging that another influencer, “Sunset Pirate” (“落日海盜”), attempted to recruit him in September 2024 to produce pro-China content. The recording reportedly captures Sunset Pirate claiming to act as an intermediary for the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and offering Xu €40,000 per month (approximately NT$1.48 million) to highlight perceived weaknesses in Taiwan’s military in ways that could undermine public confidence in Taiwan’s defense.
After the audio circulated online, Sunset Pirate deleted all of his social media accounts and has not responded publicly. Xu later uploaded the 43-minute unedited recording to his YouTube channel. The conversations involve several Chinese and foreign online personalities. Xu, who is believed to be based in Italy and focuses on international military affairs, is known for posting content supportive of Taiwan, which has been widely cited by Taiwanese media.
In the recording, Sunset Pirate claims to have previously worked in Beijing’s public security system, specializing in intelligence and information operations, and says he has recruited influencers in Japan, Italy, and the United States to promote Chinese traditional culture. He reportedly told Xu that maintaining an “objective” tone on overseas Chinese platforms could help deter Taiwan independence, and outlined strategies for subtly shaping discussions without overt political messaging. He also suggested that criticism of the Chinese Communist Party might be tolerated as long as it did not target Xi Jinping directly, and discussed producing content on the Ukraine war for internal use by his organization.
Source: Central News Agency (Taiwan), December 20, 2025
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/202512200196.aspx