Taiwan recently reported a record 153 Chinese military aircraft flying over the self-ruled island, a major hike in military tension after a day of extensive drills. According to Taiwan’s Defense Ministry, that number was recorded on Tuesday at 2200 GMT, setting the number of incursions in one single day.
On Monday, Beijing deployed fighter jets, drones, warships, and coast guard vessels to surround Taiwan from all directions. Taiwan replied with “appropriate forces” and raised alert levels on its outlying islands. Its government criticized China for “irrational and provocative” measures. The United States described the maneuvers as “unwarranted.”
Amid all that military pressure, the Chinese government has allegedly switched gears, deploying hackers and celebrities to try to shape public opinion in Taiwan and erode its will for self-government, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal.
Taiwan detected over 90,000 cyberattack attempts against critical government infrastructure this August, a new record since the spike following the visit of then-US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi two years ago.
Taiwanese officials say it is part of China’s ploy to push through its agenda with the help of local celebrities. According to Tsai Ming-yen, head of Taiwan’s National Security Bureau, active figures in various fields have been invited to share their pro-unification views. Some celebrities went so far as to post maps of the recent military drills and express support for Beijing’s “One China” policy.
Officials in Taiwan also said that China is running a disinformation campaign to discourage the U.S. from believing in Taiwan’s ability for self-defense. One of many false reports carried in Monday’s maneuvers was that a Taiwanese naval captain had been drinking heavily the night before the incident. The Justice Ministry’s investigation bureau has rejected this claim as baseless.
