A panel of defense experts on Thursday called for an Indo-Pacific initiative to combat disinformation, including efforts directed by Beijing.
Speaking at the Asia-Pacific Security Dialogue, a virtual conference hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Lieutenant General Liu Te-chin (劉得金) said that disinformation is in China’s arsenal of “fourth-generation warfare” tools to use against Taiwan.
Fourth-generation warfare — a term used by US defense analysts in the 1980s — describes methods of conflict that blur the lines between war and politics.
China’s application of the idea includes demoralizing propaganda, Web-based disinformation, confrontations at sea and in the air, and manufactured disputes, said Liu, who is inspector-general of the Ministry of National Defense.
Steadily escalating “gray zone” conflict is aimed at diminishing trust in Taiwan’s government, he said.
Taiwan has improved its multiagency coordination, civil-military cooperation, information verification and partnerships with foreign states, he said.
The military has prepared mechanisms for rapid response and strategic communication, he added.
Taiwan has unique insight into China’s disinformation techniques that other countries lack, said Bonny Lin, director of the China Power Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
Malicious influence campaigns are being directed against countries around the world, and governments could benefit from Taiwan’s wisdom and experience, Lin said.
The international community must join forces to honestly discuss the problem of disinformation and educate people to counter its effects, she said.
The fast-growing economies and fragile democracies of the Indo-Pacific region are vulnerable to online foreign meddling, said Jacob Wallis, head of information operations and disinformation at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute.
Countries in the region should create a forum or platform to defend their societies against targeted disinformation campaigns, Wallis said.
Such a forum should be open to experts working in academia and the private sector, not just government officials, he said, adding that it is needed to make governments more agile in their response to threats.
In related news, a military source yesterday said that two Chinese People’s Liberation Army vessels were identified off Taiwan’s east coast over the past two days.
A Chinese missile frigate was spotted 40 nautical miles (74km) off Hualien County at about 3am on Thursday, presumably heading south into the Bashi Channel, the source said.
Another frigate was detected about 24 hours later about 116 nautical miles off Green Island (綠島), the source added.
The second frigate sailed out of radar range at about noon yesterday, the source said, without saying which direction it was headed.
It was unclear why the ships were navigating so close to Taiwan, the source added.
Patrol ships from the 131st Fleet in Keelung were deployed on both occasions to monitor the frigates, the source said.
Ministry of National Defense spokesman Major General Shih Shun-wen (史順文) declined to comment on the report, saying only that the military constantly monitors military activities near Taiwan.
Additional reporting by CNA
Civil society groups yesterday protested outside the Legislative Yuan, decrying Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) efforts to pass three major bills that they said would seriously harm Taiwan’s democracy, and called to oust KMT caucus whip Fu Kun-chi (傅?萁). It was the second night of the three-day “Bluebird wintertime action” protests in Taipei, with organizers announcing that 8,000 people attended. Organized by Taiwan Citizen Front, the Economic Democracy Union (EDU) and a coalition of civil groups, about 6,000 people began a demonstration in front of KMT party headquarters in Taipei on Wednesday, organizers said. For the third day, the organizers asked people to assemble
Taipei is participating in Osaka’s Festival of Lights this year, with a 3m-tall bubble tea light installation symbolizing Taiwan’s bubble tea culture. The installation is designed as a bubble tea cup and features illustrations of Taipei’s iconic landmarks, such as Taipei 101, the Red House and North Gate, as well as soup dumplings and the matchmaking deity the Old Man Under the Moon (月下老人), affectionately known as Yue Lao (月老). Taipei and Osaka have collaborated closely on tourism and culture since Taipei first participated in the festival in 2018, the Taipei City Department of Information and Tourism said. In February, Osaka represented
POOR IMPLEMENTATION: Teachers welcomed the suspension, saying that the scheme disrupted school schedules, quality of learning and the milk market A policy to offer free milk to all school-age children nationwide is to be suspended next year due to multiple problems arising from implementation of the policy, the Executive Yuan announced yesterday. The policy was designed to increase the calcium intake of school-age children in Taiwan by drinking milk, as more than 80 percent drink less than 240ml per day. The recommended amount is 480ml. It was also implemented to help Taiwanese dairy farmers counter competition from fresh milk produced in New Zealand, which is to be imported to Taiwan tariff-free next year when the Agreement Between New Zealand and
Taiwanese professional baseball should update sports stadiums and boost engagement to enhance fans’ experience, Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) commissioner Tsai Chi-chang (蔡其昌) told the Liberty Times (sister paper of the Taipei Times) in an interview on Friday. The league has urged Farglory Group and the Taipei City Government to improve the Taipei Dome’s outdated equipment, including relatively rudimentary television and sound systems, and poor technology, he said. The Tokyo Dome has markedly better television and sound systems, despite being 30 years old, because its managers continually upgraded its equipment, Tsai said. In contrast, the Taipei Dome lacked even a room for referees
RSS