…authoritarian, yes. Especially, we mentioned the case of PRC already. It can be threatening personal privacy and lead toward a surveillance state. How you exclude these dangers in your plan?

As I said before, digitalization is a tool, and it’s also not only a tool for democratization, but also, for the opposite, for…

Can you give us a practical example?

How you protect against digitalization being mistaken as substance of democracy?

I understand digitalization as a tool, but not as a substance, of democracy.

KYC?

Yes, so they are becoming more powerful. I think five is, they are quite powerful already, so they get more power now?

That means, if I understand correctly, you give a lot of power to the telecom companies.

How do you ensure that this system is not manipulated?

Yes, thank you.

Yeah, it is [German] .

To be honest, I found the quote only in German, so I re-translated it, and maybe…

You are quoted as having said that, “It is urgent to think democratically…” Sorry. Your quote was, “It is urgent to think democracy digitally new.” What do you mean by that? Can you give us an example?

Do you think that the protests in Hong Kong are helping your current president – I mean Tsai Ing-wen – and your government at the moment getting reelected? Is it, let’s say, yeah, helping you getting reelected, as it shows the true face of China?

In Hong Kong, the protests are also about the principle of one country, two systems, which originally was designed for attracting Taiwan. Has this principle failed now?

Right next door to Taiwan, in Hong Kong, there’s a struggle about trust at the moment. We see a leaderless mass movement organized mostly over the Internet for more than five months now. How does this struggle in Hong Kong affect Taiwan?

You don’t see the danger of China misusing your transparency somewhat?

I mean, your president yesterday or the day before said every day, China is somehow meddling in Taiwan. Are there limits to transparency in Taiwan?

The regime has the opposite aim of using digitalization for the benefit of the regime for making the people as transparent as possible. I wonder, is Taiwan is under threat from China – from mainland China – politically…also, military threats? Do you see limits of transparency in Taiwan?

Yes.

To the people. This seems to be exactly the opposite of what is happening in China.

…for the benefit of the people.

I understand your job description is minister of digital affairs in Taiwan. Your job is to make the democratically elected government as transparent as possible…

Yeah, it’s OK. I know how to handle it. [laughs] I think you as well. I’ll just start it now. OK, it goes.

To be honest, I was a bit astonished that your press secretary asked for the subjects I would be talking. [laughs]