Taiwan has seen a \u201csignificant rise\u201d in the number of individuals charged with spying for China in recent years, according to new data released by the island\u2019s security bureau, amid escalating intimidation by Beijing. <\/p>\n
In a report released Sunday, Taiwan\u2019s National Security Bureau (NSB) said the number of individuals prosecuted for Chinese espionage had increased threefold in recent years, rising from 16 in 2021 to 64 in 2024. <\/p>\n
Of those 64 charged, 15 were military veterans and 28 were active service members, according to the report, which said targets of Chinese infiltration included military units, government agencies and local associations. <\/p>\n
Beijing claims the self-governing democracy as its own territory and has vowed to take control of it, by force if necessary, despite having never controlled it. <\/p>\n
The Taiwanese government has repeatedly rejected China\u2019s sovereignty claims and emphasized that Taiwan\u2019s future can only be decided by its 23.5 million people. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe Chinese Communist Party continues to use diverse channels and means to infiltrate all walks of life in order to absorb citizens to help them develop networks or gather sensitive government information,\u201d the report said. <\/p>\n
In recent years, Beijing has stepped up its pressure on the island, launching large-scale military drills more frequently and raising alarm over the possible deployment of \u201cgray zone\u201d tactics \u2013 acts that fall below the threshold of war. <\/p>\n
Taiwan officials\u2019 suspicions earlier this month that a Chinese vessel may have been responsible for damage to an undersea internet cable underscored concerns on the island about vulnerabilities that could be exploited by Beijing in so-called \u201cgray zone operations.\u201d <\/p>\n
In December, China also fielded its largest regional maritime deployment in decades \u2013 including multiple formations of Chinese naval and coast guard vessels \u2013 in regional waters and around the Taiwan Strait, according to Taiwan\u2019s Defense Ministry. <\/p>\n
For years, Taiwan\u2019s security agencies have warned about Beijing\u2019s growing attempts to infiltrate its armed forces and their espionage activities, particularly efforts to bribe military officers in exchange for national secrets. <\/p>\n
The latest report said that improved counter-intelligence capabilities has allowed authorities in Taiwan to uncover more cases of suspected Chinese espionage. <\/p>\n
It said Chinese agents allegedly attempted to establish contacts with criminal gangs and local temples, as well as setting up underground banks to recruit military personnel and China-friendly groups in Taiwan. <\/p>\n
The report added, without specifying details of the cases, that some of the suspected spies were tasked to serve as agents of \u201csabotage\u201d and raise China\u2019s flag in the event of a Chinese invasion. Some were also asked to gather intelligence in a move to build a \u201csniper team\u201d for an \u201cassassination assignment.\u201d <\/p>\n
China\u2019s Ministry of State Security (MSS), which oversees intelligence and counterintelligence both within China and overseas, has also previously accused Taiwan of conducting spying activities. <\/p>\n
Last August, the ministry said it had uncovered over a thousand Taiwanese espionage cases in recent years and dismantled a number of espionage networks. <\/p>\n
China\u2019s MSS has also launched a high-profile campaign against what it says is a surge in espionage activities by foreign nationals at a time when relations with western powers, especially the United States, have cratered. <\/p>\n
Chao Yu-hsiang, a resident search officer at Taiwan\u2019s Institute of National Defense and Security Research (INDSR), said he hopes the recent surge in prosecutions by Taiwan would prompt the Taiwanese military to enhance security measures. <\/p>\n
\u201cBoth our military and civilians should maintain a high level of vigilance in our words and deeds, develop good confidentiality habits, and use social media with caution to prevent those with ulterior motives from infiltrating, absorbing and exploiting us,\u201d he wrote in a column published by INDSR on Monday. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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