Taiwan Flags Russian Film Screening as China-Japan Influence Push

Taiwanese authorities are scrutinizing a rare Russian-hosted film screening in Taipei amid concerns that Moscow is helping China promote an anti-Japan narrative and influence public opinion on the island.

Around 20 Taiwanese guests attended an invitation-only screening organized by Russia’s de facto embassy of a 1945 Soviet documentary translated as “Smashing Militarist Japan.” The black-and-white film depicts Soviet attacks on Japanese-controlled Manchuria and the Kuril Islands during World War Two while highlighting Japanese atrocities against Chinese civilians.

Taiwan officials believe the event could be part of broader China-Russia “cognitive warfare” cooperation aimed at portraying Japan as a renewed military threat. Japan remains an important unofficial partner of Taiwan, particularly as tensions between Tokyo and Beijing have intensified.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi previously suggested that a hypothetical Chinese attack on Taiwan could prompt a Japanese military response. Beijing reacted sharply, repeatedly accusing Tokyo of moving toward remilitarization and invoking Japan’s wartime history.

Taiwan’s National Security Council said it was “closely monitoring” China-Russia military and cognitive warfare cooperation, accusing the two countries of seeking to amplify selected issues and distort historical and political matters.

Taiwan’s foreign ministry said roughly 20 people from academic circles were invited. One attendee said the audience also included former journalists, academics, business figures and other public-facing individuals.

Russian officials denied Reuters reporters access because the event was invitation-only. Afterward, Russian representative Pavel Lapin reportedly expressed interest in organizing similar activities in the future.

The Russian office defended the screening, arguing that the Soviet Union and Chinese people suffered enormous casualties during World War Two and made undeniable contributions to defeating German fascism and Japanese militarism.

China’s Taiwan Affairs Office dismissed Taipei’s concerns as a political effort to fuel anti-China sentiment.

The screening comes as Russia and China deepen cooperation and jointly warn against Asia-Pacific remilitarization. Moscow has also backed Beijing’s sovereignty claims over Taiwan, while Taipei has remained on Russia’s list of “unfriendly” territories since imposing sanctions following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.