TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of National Defense said Monday that China’s cognitive warfare and united front tactics against Taiwan have shifted from isolated infiltration attempts to systematic operations.
To counter this shift, the MND said it has established a big-data public-opinion monitoring system to address false information, while coordinating with fact-checking organizations and issuing clarifications, per CNA. It has also integrated education within the military and for the public, producing programs to identify Chinese “red traps,” build media literacy, and raise counterintelligence awareness.
The MND said it will leverage existing mechanisms, with dedicated units responsible for monitoring and countermeasures, while strengthening interagency coordination. It added that it will enhance strategic international communication and build cooperation with allied countries to counter cognitive warfare.
To prevent infiltration, the ministry said it will expand education to strengthen security awareness among service members. It will also improve internal control mechanisms to reduce the risk of leaks or unauthorized disclosures and safeguard national security.
In addition, the ministry warned that the People’s Liberation Army’s joint combat exercises targeting Taiwan have become increasingly routine, raising the risk of transitioning from exercises to actual combat. In 2025, PLA sorties involving various types of primary and auxiliary combat aircraft, including drones, reached 3,760, up from about 3,060 in 2024. reported CNA.
These aircraft frequently crossed the Taiwan Strait median line and entered the country’s southwestern and eastern air defense identification zones. Approximately 2,640 sorties by various types of naval vessels were conducted within Taiwan’s response zones, compared with about 2,470 the previous year.
The ministry said the PLA has increasingly conducted purported “law enforcement patrols” in restricted waters around Taiwan’s outlying islands and near the median line, CNA reported. The ministry said this is an attempt to create the false impression that the Taiwan Strait is an “internal waters” under Beijing’s jurisdiction and deny Taiwan's authority.
The MND said it has expanded joint operations exercises. In addition to this year’s Han Kuang Exercise, combat readiness drills, joint service exercises, and new joint operational plan rehearsals will be held from April to July.
These include joint defense drills designed to test command-and-staff operations, interservice coordination, and joint mechanisms, while ensuring coordination between supporting and supported units, and reducing operational risks, according to CNA.
The ministry is also using diverse communication channels to publicize training outcomes and the introduction of new weapons systems. It said this aims to increase public visibility of the armed forces, garner support for defense investment, and strengthen societal psychological resilience.
