China's Hackers And Celebrities Fuel Taiwan Pressure Campaign: Report

A few days ago, Taiwan detected a record 153 Chinese military aircraft flying over the self-ruled island following a day of large-scale drills. The aircraft were seen on Tuesday (2200 GMT Monday), the defence ministry said in a statement, the most in a single day.

Beijing deployed fighter jets, drones, warships, and coast guard boats to encircle Taiwan on Monday, with Taiwan responding by dispatching "appropriate forces" and placing its outlying islands on heightened alert. Taiwan condemned China's actions as "irrational and provocative," and the US called them "unwarranted."

Now, in addition to military pressure, China has now adopted a new tactic by employing hackers and celebrities to influence public opinion in Taiwan and undermine its commitment to self-rule, according to the Wall Street Journal report.

As per the WSJ report, more than 90,000 cyberattack attempts on Taiwan were detected in August, with targets including government infrastructure. It was the highest number since a surge two years earlier during a controversial visit to the island by then-US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Taiwan officials say China has gone so far as to enlist Taiwanese celebrities in its cause.

"One of the ways they do this is by inviting well-known Taiwanese figures-whether they're from the arts, entertainment, or politics-to share pro-unification views," said Tsai Ming-yen, the head of Taiwan's National Security Bureau, after some celebrities posted maps of the Monday drills and expressed support for Beijing's "One China" policy.

According to a WSJ report, officials in Taiwan say China's media campaign includes spreading disinformation designed to weaken U.S. confidence in the island's ability to defend itself. One message that circulated online during Monday's drills alleged that a Taiwanese naval captain had been drinking all night on Sunday. The investigation bureau of Taiwan's Justice Ministry said the claim was false.