Taiwan’s LNG Supply Becomes Target of Disinformation Campaign

In the wake of escalating tensions in the Middle East, Taiwan has become the target of a coordinated disinformation campaign claiming the nation faces imminent energy shortages and power blackouts—allegations government officials have firmly rejected as attempts to sow public panic and undermine trust in authorities.

Security agencies have identified approximately two dozen posts on Chinese-language social media platforms, primarily Douyin, falsely asserting that Taiwan would exhaust its liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplies within 11 days due to Iran’s restrictions on tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. The posts, which have garnered thousands of views, largely originate from China-based accounts.

“They claimed that we would run out of gas—that is simply impossible,” Minister of Economic Affairs Kung Ming-hsin said in a Facebook video released on March 9. “LNG supplies from Qatar account for about one-third of our total supply. Therefore, about 60 to 70 percent is basically not a problem.”

The disinformation narrative appears strategically crafted, with some posts criticizing Taiwan’s decision to decommission its final nuclear reactor last year while others promote Beijing’s “peaceful unification” proposal as a solution to Taiwan’s purported energy vulnerability.

Taiwanese security officials reported last week they are monitoring fuel-related misinformation spread not only by Chinese media but also by Taiwanese “collaborators.” Their investigation uncovered artificial intelligence-generated content on YouTube and TikTok pushing what they described as “a consistent narrative” designed to make Taiwanese citizens question their government’s preparedness for potential blockades.

“It works by creating scenarios to make people in Taiwan feel concerned about the government, or keep imagining that if a blockade were to happen one day, we would have no energy,” the security officials explained.

Taiwan is not alone in facing such targeted energy crisis misinformation. Iran’s Tasnim News Agency recently published a graphic falsely claiming Australia had only 18 days of petrol supplies remaining—a figure fact-checkers determined was actually twice that amount.

These claims resonate particularly strongly in Taiwan, where China’s increasing military activities have heightened concerns about energy security in the event of a blockade. LNG is critical to Taiwan’s energy infrastructure, accounting for 47.8 percent of the nation’s power generation last year, according to the Energy Administration.

Professor Yeh Tsung-kuang from National Tsing Hua University’s Department of Engineering and System Science clarified that while Taiwan’s maximum LNG inventory capacity is approximately 11 days, this doesn’t mean the nation would face immediate shortages or blackouts if supplies were temporarily disrupted.

“One-third of our LNG comes from Qatar. We also have other sources such as Russia, Australia and the US,” Yeh explained. “These netizens are interpreting the situation as though if LNG from the Middle East cannot get through, Taiwan will be left without a natural gas supply. They are attempting to create this false impression.”

The Ministry of Economic Affairs has outlined contingency plans to address potential supply disruptions. While 22 LNG vessels are scheduled to pass through the now-challenged Strait of Hormuz over the next two months, the ministry stated any shortfall could be covered through “emergency procurement or expedited delivery.”

If blockade conditions persist, Taiwan has three backup strategies: utilizing non-Middle Eastern gas sources, coordinating mutual assistance with regional buyers like Japan and South Korea, and purchasing “existing fuel” supplies.

China’s Taiwan Affairs Office has seized on the situation, suggesting that “peaceful unification could provide better protection” for Taiwan’s energy security with the backing of a “strong motherland”—a proposition Taiwanese authorities dismissed as “impossible” and part of ongoing “cognitive warfare.”

Joseph Webster, senior fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Global Energy Center, characterized Beijing’s messaging as “a political drive” designed to undermine Taiwan’s confidence in its energy independence.

Energy experts acknowledge Taiwan does face legitimate challenges, with Professor Liang Chi-yuan of National Central University’s Center for Taiwan Economic Development noting the island maintains relatively lower LNG storage capacity compared to neighboring Asian countries.

Should Middle East tensions continue to disrupt global energy markets, Taiwan could face increased competition for LNG supplies and higher prices—a vulnerability that makes the island particularly susceptible to disinformation campaigns targeting energy security concerns.