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China is intensifying its cognitive warfare efforts against Taiwan, as its United Front Work Department establishes a dedicated misinformation unit, according to a post by Taipei Times.
Currently, China is conducting the National People's Congress and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, which is an annual assembly of the Chinese government known as the "two sessions," as reported by Taipei Times. Shi Taifeng, the head of the United Front Work Department, has gathered a specialised task force focused on disseminating misinformation regarding the situations in Ukraine and Taiwan's semiconductor investments in the US, as revealed by a national security source speaking on the condition of anonymity. This wave of misinformation is a primary concern for Beijing, the source relayed Shi's comments made during the "two sessions," as noted by Taipei Times. Given the uncertainty surrounding US President Donald Trump's shifting policies, China aims to "instill doubt in the Taiwanese populace about the US and foster animosity toward Trump, while ensuring that divisions within Taiwan remain significant and enduring," the source stated, as reported by Taipei Times. The objective of this operation is to "ensure that no one in Taiwan trusts the United States," and it called for all government entities to engage and "consider this a legitimate battle." This fresh wave of cognitive warfare intends to propagate narratives suggesting that Trump seeks to betray Taiwan, that the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company will become American, and that Taiwan will ultimately succumb to China, the source indicated. These narratives are intended to be disseminated quickly via Chinese state media, social media platforms, and a network of fake profiles and supportive media outlets within Taiwan, they mentioned. National security agencies have already observed dubious accounts promoting this misinformation in recent days, the source added, as reported by Taipei Times. China's Ministry of State Security has suggested taking advantage of the internal disagreements concerning Trump in Taiwan to exacerbate internal strife, another national security official mentioned. It also recommended transmitting Taiwanese criticisms of Trump on X and other English-language social media to create the illusion that the Taiwanese are antagonizing him, thus sowing discord in Taiwan-US relations, the official noted, as per the Taipei Times report. (ANI)
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