Damon Wilson, President and CEO of the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), has said that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) poses a significant challenge to democracy worldwide, accusing it of deploying political, economic, technological, and information tools to reshape the global order in its own image. Wilson made these remarks at the China In The World (CITW) Summit in Taipei on Tuesday, 8 July 2025.

Key Allegations Against the CCP

Wilson described China as 'an anti-democratic superpower' that has embedded itself deeply in the world's economy, advanced technologies, and critical supply chains. He argued that China's negative influence has been a primary driver of a 20-year consecutive decline in global freedoms, political rights, and civil liberties.

He further accused the CCP of expanding its reach by establishing new international institutions and leveraging corruption networks, transnational repression, media manipulation, and economic coercion to weaken democratic resilience globally. Wilson cited Chinese President Xi Jinping's repeated assertion that 'the world is undergoing changes unseen in a century' as evidence of the CCP's far-reaching strategic ambitions.

Gray Zone Tactics and Taiwan

Wilson alleged that the CCP employs 'gray zone' tactics specifically aimed at undermining Taiwan — tactics designed to divide societies, erode public confidence, and persuade the free world that authoritarian rule is inevitable. Despite this sustained pressure, Wilson praised Taiwan for demonstrating that democracy can continue to thrive, citing its resilient institutions, vibrant civil society, technological innovation, and the resolve of its people.

This comes amid an ongoing pattern of Chinese military activity in the region. China maintains that Taiwan is part of its territory and must be reunified with the mainland, by force if necessary — a position that Taipei firmly rejects.

Taiwan's Position and President Lai's Remarks

Earlier in June 2025, Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te called on China to halt its military expansion in the South China Sea, the East China Sea, and the Taiwan Strait, and to abandon any threat of force against the island. Speaking at a reception for foreign correspondents in Taipei, Lai expressed Taiwan's readiness to engage in exchanges and cooperation on the basis of equality and dignity, in pursuit of peaceful and mutually beneficial development.

Notably, Lai invoked Taiwan's democratic history, pointing out that the island held elections 30 years ago despite missile threats from China — a signal to the international community that sovereignty rests with the people. He stated unequivocally that China and Taiwan are not subordinate to each other and that Taiwan is not part of China. Taiwan, backed by strong public support, continues to assert its sovereignty and respond to Chinese incursions.

Broader Context

The CITW Summit serves as a platform for democratic nations and civil society organisations to discuss China's growing global influence. Wilson's remarks reflect a broader concern among Western policymakers and democracy advocates about the CCP's strategy of using multilateral institutions and economic leverage to tilt the international order away from liberal democratic norms. The NED, a US-based non-governmental organisation, has long tracked and documented democratic backsliding globally, attributing a significant portion of it to authoritarian influence operations.

As geopolitical tensions in the Indo-Pacific remain elevated, Wilson's address underscores the urgency with which democratic governments and civil society must coordinate their response to authoritarian influence — both overt and covert.