Taiwan has dismissed social media posts leaking delicate particulars of an alleged journey by its nationwide safety director to Thailand as ‘cognitive warfare.’
A Twitter account utilizing the deal with @andreny45652235 tweeted on Sept. 12 a declare that Chen Ming-tong had been in Thailand for functions of tourism, however at taxpayers’ expense.
The tweet included images allegedly taken of Chen on the airport, together with an official customs doc and a lodge invoice. The identical submit was additionally shared on Fb.
An official with the democratic island’s nationwide safety bureau stated the purpose of the tweet was to point out that the whereabouts of Taiwanese officers is understood to China, which has threatened to annex the island by pressure.
The tweet was an instance of “traditional cognitive warfare,” and had come from a short-lived account that was created final month and posted simply six tweets earlier than being taken down, the Taiwan Information reported, citing an unnamed bureau official.
If true, the submit reveals the extent to which Chinese language brokers have infiltrated safety techniques in Thailand, the report stated.
It additionally alerts to officers from different international locations that China would possibly concentrate on the small print of their journeys to Thailand, the paper quoted the nationwide safety bureau official as saying on situation of anonymity.
There was no fast response from Thailand to the report.
Cross-border points
Opposition Kuomintang lawmaker Chen Yi-hsin known as for a direct response from Chen Ming-tong himself.
“I did not know something about this, and neither, I imagine, did the overseas affairs and nationwide protection committee [of Taiwan’s parliament, the Legislative Yuan],” Chen stated.
“Safety ought to by no means be taken evenly … the director of nationwide safety has but to reply on the matter: he ought to clarify it,” he stated.
An official who answered the cellphone on the Nationwide Safety Bureau declined to touch upon the reviews when contacted by RFA on Monday.
“The bureau continues to carefully monitor and analyze the nationwide safety state of affairs, and can reply appropriately,” the official stated.
Ruling Democratic Progressive Celebration (DPP) lawmaker Wang Ting-yu stated it wasn’t uncommon for Chen to journey abroad.
“Director of Nationwide Safety has many matter to debate with different international locations, together with on-line safety, regional geopolitical safety points, anti-terrorism operations, and medicines,” Wang stated.
“It is not unusual for them to cross borders.”
Assault on DPP
Present affairs commentator Shen Ming-shih stated the transfer was seemingly a covert assault on the DPP, which has seen its recognition plummet in current weeks, forward of native elections in November.
“That is extra political messaging than cross-strait intelligence operation,” Shen informed RFA. “It is not fairly on the stage of life-and-death, spy intrigue or fight but.”
“The principle goal is the DPP and the [local] elections,” he stated.
Lin Ting-hui, deputy secretary-general of the Taiwan Institute of Worldwide Regulation, stated the submit was seemingly a deliberate leak by the Chinese language Communist Celebration (CCP) intelligence service, utilizing info obtained via its infiltration or relationship with the Thai authorities.
Lin known as on Taiwan’s overseas ministry to lodge a protest with the Thai authorities, and demand that those that leaked the small print of Chen’s journey to Thailand be disciplined.
Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
