Government May Shut Down iQiyi's Taiwanese Website|疑違法在台"落地" "愛奇藝"恐遭下架

Chinese online video platform iQiyi reportedly used an agent to illegally operate in Taiwan and may now be shut down. Mainland Affairs Council spokesperson Chiu Chui-cheng said relevant government agencies are currently actively investigating and if the company is confirmed to be illegally operating, its Taiwanese website will be shut down.


iQiyi's exclusive broadcast of its drama series "Story of Yanxi Palace" drew 150 million live views last year, with the website attracting 1.5 billion total views for the entire year. As it has exclusive rights to many programs, the platform is very popular in Taiwan and paid memberships are on the rise. According to reports, the website may be shut down for illegally operating in Taiwan.

It's a pity, because many Mainland products are pretty great. It would be a pity if their website is forcibly shut down.

The Mainland Affairs Council says Chinese online streaming media companies are banned from investing in Taiwan. In 2016, the Ministry of Economic Affairs rejected iQiyi's application to establish a subsidiary in Taiwan. Since then, it has operated in Taiwan through an agent, OTT Entertainment. If iQiyi is found to be in violation of the Act Governing Relations between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area, its Taiwanese website may be shut down.

The government previously blocked iQiyi from investing and operating in Taiwan. Relevant companies in Taiwan were also barred from participating in related operations and activities. The government will proceed with an investigation in accordance with the law to determine if they broke the law in Taiwan. Their website could be shut down.

The Mainland Affairs Council asked many agencies to confirm this (thing). As for the other actual advertising problem, because it is all overseas -- their hosts and servers are all overseas, and they are only sending the content to Taiwan through the internet.

The ministry says iQiyi never received Investment Commission approval to operate in Taiwan and it can therefore only investigate the company for illegally advertising in Taiwan. OTT, meanwhile, has issued a statement saying it was set up legally and the company is an "honest taxpayer." It also said it cannot comment on whether iQiyi will be shut down.




去年獨家播出，愛奇藝自製宮廷劇"延禧攻略"，光一檔流量，就高達1.5億人次，2018年全站總流量，達15億人次。加上經常打出平台獨家播出，成為不少追劇迷最愛，付費會員倍數成長。不過，近日傳出，涉違法"落地"恐遭下架。近日傳出，涉違法"落地"恐遭下架。

民眾表示：「會覺得有點可惜吧！因為其實很多大陸的東西，都還滿好用的，只是會強迫下架，就會覺得滿可惜。」

陸委會表示，影音串流平台、OTT，並沒有開放陸資來台投資，愛奇藝2016年，曾申請來台設立公司，遭經濟部投審會駁回。 不過，3 年來在台業務，透過台灣代理商"歐銻銻:代為經銷、宣傳。相關業者不能代為從事相關業務，一但查出"愛奇藝"違反兩岸條例，最壞可能面臨下架命運。

陸委會發言人 邱垂正表示：「政府先前不予許可愛奇藝來台投資及落地，我方相關業者也應不得代為從事相關業務活動，那主管機關會依法進行查處，來查明到底有沒有違法在台落地的相關情形，最嚴重的話，那可能就下架處理。」

經濟部次長 王美花表示：「陸委會有在找各部會，來確認這一件(事情)，其他的實際的這個廣告的問題，因為它整個都是在國外的這個主機，伺服器都在國外，它只是透過網路，把這個內容送到台灣來這樣。」

經濟部強調，投審會並沒有批准愛奇藝來台落地，目前只能查核，是否違法在台刊登廣告。至於''愛奇藝''代理商"歐銻銻"，則低調發聲明稿，但沒有正面回應，只強調"歐銻銻"是合法設立，有誠實納稅的公司，至於愛奇藝，是否會遭下架，無法代為回答。