Taiwanese President William Lai Ching-te has called for stricter measures to counter China's increasing infiltration, espionage, and psychological warfare aimed at weakening Taiwan's defenses. Speaking at a news conference on Thursday, Lai highlighted recent incidents where Beijing allegedly tried to sway public opinion, obtain classified information, and lure military personnel into working for them.

He emphasized the need for stronger legal safeguards to detect and prevent such activities, warning that China’s tactics go beyond traditional warfare, targeting Taiwan’s national security and morale. The Chinese government has largely ignored official contact with Lai’s Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) since his predecessor, Tsai Ing-wen, was elected, as the DPP supports Taiwan’s de facto independence.

China regularly sends military ships and aircraft near Taiwan to intimidate its 23 million citizens and exhaust its defense forces. In a recent case, Taiwan expelled the Chinese wife of a Taiwanese citizen after she repeatedly shared videos on Chinese social media claiming China could take over Taiwan in just 30 minutes. Her actions, deemed a violation of Taiwan’s national security laws, led to her deportation, though she can reapply for residency in five years.

Other incidents include Taiwanese artists and influencers in China echoing Chinese state media’s stance that Taiwan belongs to China. Additionally, retired Taiwanese military personnel have been caught leaking information about Taiwan’s weapons systems to Chinese agents and even trying to recruit active military members for espionage. The growing number of such incidents has raised concerns in Taiwan about the need for stronger defenses against Beijing’s covert operations.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from Reuters.