Unmasking the Dragon: Taiwan Battles China's Infiltration

Report Reveals Beijing's Multi-Pronged Espionage Tactics Targeting Taiwan's Military and Beyond

A new report from the Ministry of National Defense (MND) sheds light on the multifaceted strategies employed by China to infiltrate Taiwan. The report reveals a complex web of influence, implicating various entities within Taiwan, including organized crime, illegal money lenders, temples, and civic groups, in Beijing’s efforts to undermine the island's defenses.

The MND report, prepared for a legislative hearing, highlights how retired service members have been leveraged to infiltrate the Taiwanese military. Beijing's intelligence operations often utilize a combination of tactics such as blackmail, internet-based communications, bribery, and leveraging debts owed to loan sharks to coerce active service personnel.

The primary objectives of these Chinese operations are to gather intelligence and cultivate a network of spies and collaborators designed to compromise Taiwan's security. The report also notes the effectiveness of counterintelligence training, with service members reporting 87.5% of apprehended Chinese agents.

To counter this threat, the Ministry of National Defense, along with the National Security Bureau and other Ministry of Justice agencies, have established specialized protocols to investigate and prosecute Chinese agents without jeopardizing sensitive national security information. The military is also implementing a standardized system for investigating information security breaches and certifying personnel and contractors to fortify its defenses against infiltration.

Rigorous background checks are conducted on military personnel before granting access to classified information, encompassing disciplinary infractions, crime records, travel history, family connections, and financial status. These background checks are archived digitally for future reference in promotions and assignments.

Furthermore, military personnel undergo periodic vetting every three years. Those who fail to meet the required security standards will be removed from positions with classified information. Reassignment to roles requiring higher security clearance also triggers a separate vetting process.

In related news, a monthly report from the Ministry of Digital Affairs indicated that Taiwan faced 82 cyberattacks last month, a slight decrease from the same period last year. Over 20 government offices were targeted in distributed denial of service attacks that impacted internet service. Local governments, tax offices, justice systems, social welfare, and public health services were affected in about 30% of the attacks. Authorities were unable to positively identify the attackers due to the use of intermediaries. The report added that none of the cyberattacks damaged the targeted systems, and most government offices quickly recovered.