Screenshot from regional media CTi, which reveals Amap surged on each iOS and Android and at one level topped the obtain chart
After Taiwan Democratic Progressive Social gathering (DPP) authorities claimed they’d think about limiting using the mainland navigation app Amap, citing so-called safety issues after the app started displaying visitors gentle countdowns in Taiwan, downloads of the app surged on each iOS and Android and at one level topped the obtain chart, in response to Taiwan regional media.
Some netizens on the island mocked the episode as a case of “reverse promotion,” saying that apps the authorities think about banning solely appear to change into extra standard. In addition they questioned whether or not the authorities solely know the best way to ban standard and helpful apps, citing the earlier ban on mainland’s app Xiaohongshu.
A brand new function launched in April by the mainland navigation app Amap, which shows visitors gentle countdowns in Taiwan, has sparked dialogue on the island in latest days. Liu Shih-fang, head of Taiwan’s inner affairs physique, addressed the problem in an interview on Thursday, claiming that the authorities would conduct a danger evaluation. In the event that they decide that the app has a serious influence on Taiwan’s “safety,” and can ban it,” she claimed, in response to Taiwan regional media CNA.
Earlier, head of Taiwan’s digital affairs division Lin Yi-jing mentioned on April 22 that the authorities could prohibit using Amap in the event that they discover that person information is being transmitted again to the mainland and poses “safety issues.” In that case, the area’s authorities companies can be required to cease utilizing the app, whereas the general public would even be urged to keep away from it, in response to CTi Information.
Based on a report by Taiwan regional media outlet TVBS, Taiwan’s “protection” chief Koo Li-hsiung introduced on Thursday that an order had been issued to all navy personnel banning the obtain and use of Amap on each official and private cellphones.
Regardless of the regional authorities’ hype over Amap and their consideration of a attainable ban, downloads of the app surged. Based on CTi Information, on Thursday, Amap had as soon as climbed to No. 1 on the iOS app obtain chart and ranked third on Android. Many netizens left feedback saying that they had already downloaded the app. Some mentioned they didn’t know the way helpful it was till they tried it, whereas others praised its navigation voice. Some netizens additionally admitted that they had not heard of the app earlier than, however needed to obtain and take a look at it after seeing the information, per CTi Information.
Different Taiwan regional media additionally lined the problem. For instance, TVBS Information ran a headline saying that the extra Amap is focused for restrictions, the extra standard it turns into, noting that the app had topped the App Retailer obtain chart. In the meantime, SETN lined the episode with the headline questioning whether or not that is the officers’ sudden “help.”
Taiwan regional web influencer Low-cost described the episode on Fb as “a historic second,” saying head of Taiwan’s digital affairs division had supposed to warn the general public about safety issues, however as a substitute triggered island-wide curiosity concerning the mainland navigation app Amap. Low-cost mocked the episode because the digital affairs division’s most spectacular “digital transformation” achievement since its institution.
Low-cost additionally famous that Amap already had 45,000 rankings on iOS, suggesting that Taiwan had lengthy had a bunch of loyal “skilled driver” customers. The newest official consideration, he mentioned, solely prompted extra individuals who had been initially utilizing Google Maps to take a better look.
Netizens additionally shared their person experiences on social media, with some criticizing the regional authorities as “ineffective and incompetent, weaker than others in each manner,” and saying they “solely know the best way to ban others’ merchandise.”
The Fb account “ENews” wrote: “Is that this the strongest ‘reverse promotion’ in historical past? Proper after the authorities raised issues and mentioned they have been making ready to ‘research a attainable ban’ on a sure navigation app, the very subsequent second… it shot straight to the highest of Taiwan’s obtain charts on each platforms.”
Whereas netizen “wengjiaze6” wrote that “Amap could also be banned?? Higher obtain it rapidly and take a look at it out! It is really fairly good!” Netizen “yijie6084” wrote on Threads that “Xiaohongshu, Amap — what can be subsequent? The extra standard it will get, the extra possible it’s to be banned, proper?”
In December 2025, the Democratic Progressive Social gathering (DPP) authorities imposed a one-year ban on Xiaohongshu, also called RedNote, a mainland app with greater than 3 million customers in Taiwan, citing so-called cybersecurity issues, drawing criticism on the island.
In response to an inquiry from the International Instances on Wednesday, Amap mentioned that its traffic-light countdown function was launched in Taiwan Province, China, on April 13. In July 2025, the corporate additionally launched lane-level navigation in Taiwan Province. Customers are welcome to attempt these options.
“In essence, what the DPP authorities can not tolerate shouldn’t be a single app, however cross-Straits change itself. Apps comparable to Amap and Xiaohongshu have made every day life extra handy for Taiwan residents and given them a clearer sense of the mainland’s technological progress, which is strictly why the DPP authorities really feel uneasy,” Yu Qiang, head of the cross-Straits improvement analysis heart of the Beijing Know-how and Enterprise College, informed the International Instances.
“Cross-Straits economies are extremely complementary. Rejecting deeper cooperation for political causes means passing up alternatives for improvement and, in the long run, hurting the individuals on the island,” mentioned Yu.
In response to Taiwan’s digital affairs division beforehand proposing a listing of apps deemed to pose excessive cybersecurity dangers, together with Douyin, Weibo, WeChat and Xiaohongshu, Zhang Han, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Workplace of the State Council, mentioned at a press convention in January that the DPP authorities have malicious intentions in hyping so-called “cybersecurity dangers” associated to mainland apps.
The DPP authorities are depriving Taiwan residents’, particularly the younger generations’, proper to data and freedom to make use of social media platforms, blocking channels of cross-Straits exchanges, and intentionally inciting so-called “resisting mainland, defending Taiwan.” This solely reveals their interior worry and “insecurity,” Zhang mentioned.
The DPP authorities’ reckless actions will solely backfire, Zhang mentioned, including that their retrogressive strikes can not cease the rising pattern amongst Taiwan individuals, particularly younger individuals, to higher perceive the mainland and construct nearer bonds with their compatriots on the mainland.
