Taiwan’s President William Lai Ching-te has warned of China’s intensifying espionage and infiltration efforts against the island, announcing plans to counter Beijing’s attempts to “absorb” Taiwan.
In a Thursday press briefing following security meetings, Lai said China is cultivating relationships with various segments of Taiwanese society, including organized crime groups, media personalities, and police officers.
“They are carrying out activities such as division, destruction and subversion from within us,” Lai stated.
The president emphasized the need for stronger measures against Chinese efforts to undermine Taiwan’s defenses, pointing to recent incidents of psychological warfare that fall short of armed conflict. According to government data, 64 people were charged with Chinese espionage last yearโtriple the number from 2021. Most 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,” Lai said.
He proposed 17 legal and economic countermeasures, including stricter reviews of Taiwan visits and residency applications by Chinese citizens, and plans to reactivate the military court system. Lai also mentioned forthcoming “necessary adjustments” to cross-strait flows of money, people, and technology, without providing specifics.
Beijing considers Taiwan part of its territory, while Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party favors maintaining de facto independence. China has largely refused official contact with the DPP since Lai’s predecessor, Tsai Ing-wen, was elected eight years ago. The two sides separated during the 1949 civil war.
Recent incidents have heightened tensions. Taiwan expelled a Chinese woman married to a Taiwanese citizen after she posted social media videos claiming China would conquer Taiwan in thirty minutes and praising Chinese leadershipโactions illegal under Taiwan’s laws against abetting enemies.
Other incidents involve Taiwanese artists and influencers in China reposting Chinese state media assertions of sovereignty over Taiwan, which Taipei views as pressure on celebrities to make pro-Beijing statements. Lai said his government would issue “reminders” to Taiwanese performers in China regarding their “statements and actions.”
“We have no choice but to take more active actions,” the president declared.
Retired Taiwanese military personnel have reportedly shared information about the island’s weapons systems with Chinese agents and attempted to recruit active service members as spies.
China regularly deploys ships and aircraft near Taiwan in what appears to be an effort to intimidate its 23 million residents and exhaust its armed forces and morale.
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