TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The National Security Bureau reported Monday that Beijing launched over four million cyberattacks and 19,000 disinformation posts during its military drills last week.
The bureau said China deployed over 200 military aircraft and nearly 30 navy and coast guard vessels, while firing 27 rockets into waters north and south of Taiwan, per Liberty Times. The defense ministry said Beijing spread narratives meant to cast doubt on US support and promote surrender.
The bureau said the White House’s December National Security Strategy, which prioritizes the Indo-Pacific, may have triggered Beijing’s response. The report also cited Washington’s approval of arms sales to Taiwan worth NT$346.37 billion (US$11 billion).
On Dec. 29, the PLA’s Eastern Theater Command launched surprise exercises, designating seven restricted air and maritime zones. The drills involved coordinated PLA operations, a simulated encirclement of Taiwan, and live-fire exercises with PCH-191 multiple rocket launchers.
The bureau added that China used state media and AI-generated disinformation. From Dec. 29 to Jan. 2, more than 19,000 such posts were recorded, with 799 clusters of abnormal accounts on TikTok, Facebook, Threads, and X, promoting narratives that questioned military readiness and sought to undermine confidence in President Lai Ching-te (賴清德).
The NSB said over the two days of the drills, there were more than four million cyberattacks. PLA-linked hacking groups APT24 and BlackTech were the most active.
