iQiyi’s Taiwan agent to cease serving local users from October 15 after ban on Chinese streaming platforms
- An order issued on September 3 prohibits Taiwanese individuals and organisations from working with mainland Chinese video streaming companies
- OTT Entertainment, iQiyi’s Taiwanese partner, says it will stop providing customer service to the Chinese streaming site’s local users from October 15
OTT Entertainment, which had a partnership with iQiyi to promote and sell the latter’s services in Taiwan, said in a Facebook post on Monday that it stopped providing member management and brand services to iQiyi the day the ban took effect. At the additional request of Taiwan’s National Communications Commission, the agency will also stop providing customer service to iQiyi users on the island starting October 15, it said in the post.
However, OTT Entertainment added that iQiyi’s platform continues to be accessible on the island and VIP members’ privileges will not be affected. “Even if the agency business must be terminated due to changes in government regulations, iQiyi’s is still available in 60 countries worldwide, and all iQiyi users including those in the Taiwan region can still continue to access [the platform],” it said in the statement.
When contacted for comment, iQiyi referred the Post to OTT Entertainment’s Facebook post.
The September 3 order closes a loophole that allowed Chinese streaming platforms to operate on the island by forming alliances with local broadcasters and distributors to promote and sell their video streaming services.