Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te claims China is deepening its ‘influence campaign’ on the island.
Taiwan’s President William Lai Ching-te says China is deepening its espionage and infiltration campaign against the island, and that his government will propose various measures to counter Beijing’s efforts to “absorb” Taiwan.
Speaking to reporters after a meeting with security officials on Thursday, Lai said Beijing is trying to cultivate relationships with members of Taiwanese society, including organised crime groups, media personalities and police officers.
“They [China] are carrying out activities such as division, destruction and subversion from within us,” Lai said.
He added that tougher measures are needed to counter Chinese efforts to weaken the island’s defences, citing recent incidents that fall into a “grey area” of psychological warfare, short of open-armed conflict.
Lai said that according to government data, 64 people were charged for Chinese espionage last year, three times more than in 2021. He said the majority were current or former military officials.
“Many are worried that our country, hard-earned freedom and democracy and prosperity will be lost bit by bit due to these influence campaigns and manipulation,” he said.
The president proposed 17 legal and economic countermeasures, including a strict review of Taiwan visits or residency applications by Chinese citizens, and proposals to resume the work of the military court.
Lai also said his government would make “necessary adjustments” to the flows of money, people and technology across the strait. He did not elaborate.
Beijing considers Taiwan to be part of its territory, but the island’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party favours continued de facto independence from the mainland.
China has refused almost all official contact with the DPP since Lai’s predecessor, Tsai Ing-wen, was elected eight years ago. The two sides split amid a civil war in 1949.
Recent spats
Taiwan recently expelled the Chinese wife of a Taiwanese citizen after she posted several clips on social media saying that China would conquer Taiwan in half an hour and praising Chinese leadership.
Such acts are illegal under Taiwan’s laws on abetting the enemy. The woman, who also held official Chinese titles as a consultant, can apply for residency again in five years.
Other recent incidents have included Taiwanese artists and influencers living in China reposting statements from Chinese state media asserting Chinese sovereignty over Taiwan – something Taipei sees as an ongoing campaign to pressure pop stars to make pro-Beijing comments.
Lai said his government would issue “reminders” to Taiwanese actors and singers performing in China on their “statements and actions”.
“We have no choice but to take more active actions,” he said.
Retired Taiwanese service members have also passed information about the island’s weapons systems to Chinese agents and sought to recruit serving military members as spies, he said.
China regularly sends ships and planes into airspace and waters near the island in an effort to intimidate its 23 million people and wear down its armed forces and morale.
