Signing a cross-strait “peace agreement” would be the most dangerous outcome, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Puma Shen (沈伯洋) said on Friday in reaction to a think tank report on the potential economic and cyberwarfare tactics China might use on Taiwan.
The Washington-based Foundation for Defense of Democracies released a report on a tabletop exercise it recently organized to analyze how vulnerable Taiwan is to China’s economic and cyber warfare tactics, warning that Beijing might use those to compel Taipei to surrender without military force.
Commenting on the matter, Shen said that China is already using these kinds of “gray zone” tactics — such as harassment, disinformation, and economic, legal and cyber attacks — as part of a hybrid warfare strategy.
Photo: Reuters
The most dangerous outcome would be China forcing Taiwan into signing a “peace treaty” under duress, which would turn the invasion of the nation into a domestic issue rather than an international act of war, he said.
China has been using “gray zone” tactics even during peacetime, such as its attempts to manipulate public opinion, launching of cyberattacks on Taiwan’s digital infrastructure, encroaching on the nation’s territorial waters, and placing economic sanctions on industries, companies and individuals that are reliant on China’s market, Shen said.
If China suddenly escalated tensions, for example, by launching cyberattacks on critical infrastructure such hospitals, it would be difficult for Taiwan and its allies to determine if it was an act of war, he said.
Shen said he agreed with the think tank’s report, which said that “gray zone” warfare is Taiwan’s biggest concern and that war simulations must include these tactics as part of modern hybrid warfare.
He said he has long advocated for a hybrid war strategy, as solely depending on military force would not be enough to defend the country from modern threats.
China’s goal is to push Taiwan into signing an agreement, perhaps even bypassing the central government and negotiating with local governments directly, to make the invasion a domestic issue and prevent foreign intervention, Shen said.
Some lawmakers have promoted the possibility of a peace agreement, which plays into China’s plans and poses a significant threat to Taiwan, he added.
China’s cyberattacks against Taiwan have increased dramatically since 2016, with recent reports saying that Beijing has been working with Russian hackers, Shen said.
Taiwan should analyze and examine every small attack to prevent further exploits and fix vulnerabilities, he added.
Shen compared these small attacks to disassembled rockets smuggled in discreetly: each individual piece could become small vulnerabilities that could one day be used in a massive attack.
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