TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's representative office in the Philippines deleted a social media post and apologized on Monday (Feb. 3) after sharing an AI-generated image. The fabricated photo falsely depicted a woman in a Ukrainian subway with luggage labeled "Taiwan is not CHINA." The Taiwan FactCheck Center (台灣事實查核中心) had identified the viral image the previous day, sparking controversy over diplomatic misinformation.
The Taiwan FactCheck Center identified multiple discrepancies, including inconsistencies between the depicted subway map and Kyiv's actual metro network. The center noted the sticker appeared unnaturally smooth despite the luggage's uneven surface, lacking expected texture. Olek Shyn (申武松), a Korean-Ukrainian resident of Taiwan, confirmed these inaccuracies, stating that the real Kyiv subway map has only three lines without the illustrated forks.
International political observer Ross Feingold (方恩格) criticized the representative office for referring to the woman in the image as "a gorgeous woman." Feingold argued on Facebook that terms such as "traveler" or "tourist" would have been more appropriate, emphasizing the importance of focusing on substance over appearance. The office had used the AI-generated photo in an effort to promote Taiwan.
Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, known as MOFA (外交部), pledged to enhance its message verification processes following the incident. The ministry committed to ensuring that diplomatic statements accurately reflect Taiwan's image. The episode highlights the challenges governments face when navigating the proliferation of AI-generated content, which can mislead even official entities. ◼