Scary warning: China ready to attack?

Beijing is increasingly relying on a combination of conventional military operations and sophisticated cyber and information attacks to pressure democratic Taiwan, which the People's Republic of China claims as its territory, according to the ministry's biennial report.

"The Chinese Communists routinely conduct 'gray zone' operations involving joint combat patrols, targeted military exercises and forms of cognitive warfare – all of which combine to create a multidimensional threat to our security," the report said.

"Grey zone"

The term "gray zone" refers to actions that are not direct armed conflict, but are a form of aggression - such as coast guard patrols, sabotage of submarine cables or sending balloons with unclear intentions.

China's coast guard, according to the report, is increasingly active around Taiwan, and there is a real possibility that in the future it will act in cooperation with the military, applying more aggressive methods of restricting movement.

In addition to direct threats, China is increasingly relying on hybrid warfare, using artificial intelligence tools to undermine Taiwan's cyber security and find weaknesses in its critical infrastructure. Beijing is also trying to influence public perception and weaken support for the government's defense measures through manipulation.

"By combining conventional and unconventional methods, China is trying to test the possibilities of attacking Taiwan, but also to check how foreign powers would react in the event of a conflict," added the Ministry.

Deployment of merchant ships

In particular, it warns of the possibility of China using military exercises as a cover for launching real combat operations, in an attempt to surprise Taiwan and its international allies - which would significantly disrupt peace and stability in the region.

In recent years, China has increasingly used merchant ships for military purposes - especially for the transport of troops - and has continuously invested in the development of amphibious landing equipment.

EPA-EFE/RITCHIE B. TONGO

The report also reveals that China has professional cyber operations teams that use fake social media profiles and bots to spread misinformation. The goal of these activities is to cause division within Taiwanese society and undermine trust in institutions.

Fighting morale

The Chinese state media, as well as their partners, are working intensively to weaken the fighting morale of the Taiwanese people.

In addition, the Ministry alleges that China uses technologies such as "deepfakes" to create fake videos, while artificial intelligence is used to generate politically polarizing content, further fueling internal conflicts.