China Escalates Disinformation Campaign as Military Exercises Surround Taiwan

Taiwan’s defense authorities have issued an urgent warning about an intensifying wave of Chinese disinformation campaigns coinciding with Beijing’s large-scale military exercises around the island. Officials report that at least 46 separate pieces of false information have been identified since the start of the latest drills, with many apparently designed to undermine public confidence in Taiwan’s armed forces and its international partnerships.

Major General Chu Hui-fang, who heads the Ministry of National Defence’s (MND) Political Warfare Bureau, revealed that these fabricated narratives are primarily disseminated through Chinese state-affiliated platforms and social media networks. One particularly concerning example came from the Chinese state-run Global Times, which falsely claimed that Chinese coast guard vessels had established blockades at Taiwan’s major ports, including Keelung, Tainan, Kaohsiung, and Hualien—an assertion Taiwanese officials categorically denied.

Another misleading video circulating online alleged that Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) units had advanced to within nine kilometers of Taiwan’s southern coastline. The MND swiftly refuted this claim, emphasizing that no such military movements had occurred and that all detected PLA aircraft and naval vessels remained outside Taiwan’s territorial waters.

Lieutenant General Hsieh Jih-sheng, deputy chief of the general staff for intelligence, addressed additional misinformation, specifically rejecting footage broadcast by China’s state broadcaster CCTV that purportedly showed drone activity near Taipei 101, Taiwan’s iconic skyscraper. While Hsieh acknowledged some drone activity during the exercise period, he clarified that none had penetrated Taiwan’s contiguous zone, which extends 24 nautical miles from the coast.

This coordinated disinformation campaign represents an evolution in China’s approach to pressuring Taiwan. MND spokesperson Sun Li-fang noted that Beijing has increasingly combined traditional military drills with sophisticated information warfare tactics since August 2022. These efforts target not only Taiwan’s domestic audience but also neighboring countries and international audiences sympathetic to Taipei, aiming to manipulate regional perceptions and weaken collective resolve against Chinese pressure.

The timing of these disinformation efforts is particularly significant as tensions across the Taiwan Strait have escalated following Taiwan’s recent presidential election. China has consistently refused to recognize Taiwan’s democratic government and considers the self-governing island part of its territory, despite never having ruled it.

Military analysts observe that this integration of psychological operations with physical military exercises represents China’s adoption of “hybrid warfare” strategies seen in other global conflicts. By creating confusion about military movements and capabilities, Beijing aims to weaken Taiwan’s societal resilience and test the island’s emergency response systems.

Taiwan’s President William Lai addressed these concerns in a public message, urging citizens to remain vigilant against psychological warfare tactics. “Societal resilience and cooperation between civilians and the military are vital in protecting Taiwan’s democratic system,” Lai stated, emphasizing the importance of information literacy among the population.

The disinformation campaign comes amid China’s broader efforts to isolate Taiwan internationally and assert its claims over the island. Beijing has regularly conducted military exercises around Taiwan, particularly following visits by foreign dignitaries or after political developments it views as challenging its territorial claims.

Regional security experts warn that distinguishing between factual information and propaganda will become increasingly challenging as artificial intelligence technologies advance, making sophisticated fake videos and images more convincing. Taiwan’s government has responded by establishing specialized units to monitor and rapidly debunk false claims, while also working with international partners to strengthen resilience against information warfare.

As tensions persist in the Taiwan Strait, the battle for information integrity remains a critical front in the broader geopolitical competition shaping East Asia’s security landscape.