Taiwan Under Siege: GTI Report Highlights Escalating Chinese Espionage Threat

Global Taiwan Institute Warns of CCP's Growing Influence and Calls for Stronger Countermeasures.

A new report from the Washington-based Global Taiwan Institute (GTI) has issued a stark warning: Taiwan faces an intensifying threat from Chinese espionage, demanding more robust governmental responses.

Titled “Chinese Communist Party Covert Operations Against Taiwan,” the report details the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) expanding influence operations and the significant impact they are having on Taiwan's security and democratic principles.

“No other democracy faces the same scale of foreign threat to its integrity and independence as Taiwan,” the report emphasizes. “The malign intentions and influence operations directed by the CCP and the threat it poses and harm it causes to Taiwan’s democratic society is real.”

The GTI report outlines that CCP espionage activities primarily encompass three key areas: intelligence operations, cyberspace operations, and “united front” work, aimed at influencing Taiwanese society.

In response, the GTI recommends that Taiwan significantly increase penalties for those convicted of espionage.

“Additional sentencing enhancements could be legislated for offenses that have wider political consequences or threaten the wider integrity of the Taiwanese government,” the report stated.

The report offers an example: Government officials found guilty of national security-related offenses could face harsher sentences if they are found to have recruited other officials or military officers into spy rings or connected them with China’s intelligence and “united front” organs.

Furthermore, the report proposes that Taiwan adopt legal frameworks similar to those in the United States and the United Kingdom, requiring individuals acting on behalf of foreign entities to register, thus publicly disclosing their activities and affiliations to enhance transparency.

The GTI also advocates for the criminalization of unregistered agents of foreign powers, highlighting the success the US has had prosecuting spies under this provision.

The standard of proof would be demonstrating that an individual's actions were directed by a foreign power, not necessarily proving a threat to national security.

Simultaneously, the think tank suggests that Taiwan bolster its security vetting processes through a unified national security clearance system, demanding a higher level of scrutiny for government employees.

According to the report, this system would provide different government branches with a more effective means of managing sensitive national security matters.

Echoing these concerns, President William Lai (賴清德) recently announced intentions to reinstate the military trial system, handling military-related criminal cases involving active-duty service personnel, in response to increasing Chinese efforts to infiltrate the military.

Lai's countermeasures against Chinese espionage also include tightening restrictions on Chinese tourists, residents, and civil servants.

The Mainland Affairs Council acknowledged the insufficiency of current national security regulations and stated its commitment to continuously examine regulations alongside government agencies to identify and address any loopholes hindering the enforcement of the law.

Expert opinions from various fields will be sought to facilitate discussions on potential legal amendments, considering national security and the public welfare.

National Taiwan University Department of Political Science associate professor Chen Shih-min (陳世民) underscored that Taiwan has already experienced significant infiltration by China's "united front" tactics.

He emphasized the need for Taiwan to cultivate a “fighting against China to safeguard Taiwan” mindset, explicitly defining Beijing as an adversary to effectively counter Chinese infiltration.

The government should consider establishing an act governing “external hostile force agents,” drawing from precedents set by the US, Australia, or Canada. This would entail establishing stringent regulations for Beijing's agents and outlining potential violations and their corresponding penalties, according to Chen.