Brad Medairy
Nearly three in four Americans are concerned about a potential invasion of Taiwan, according to the latest Reagan National Defense Survey. And, Washington has fixated on a potential 2027 invasion scenario. But the fact is that the PRC has a strategy for annexing Taiwan without an invasion — and it’s in use right now. Resorting to force to take Taiwan would be perceived as a strategic failure in Beijing’s eyes. Rather, the PRC’s strategy to isolate, weaken and ultimately absorb Taiwan has more to do with cyber power than firepower. Before this approach can be countered, it must be understood. Gaining perspective on the strategy will help the U.S. compete more effectively with the PRC and reduce the risk of a crisis.
Our research shows Beijing’s strategy to annex Taiwan involves using cyber power comprehensively: on political, military and economic fronts. The PRC orchestrates online influence operations to erode trust in Taiwan’s government. It conducts espionage to expose Taiwan’s defenses and sow doubt about the island’s ability to keep secrets shared by foreign governments. It uses internet controls and censorship to pressure foreign companies to say Taiwan is part of the PRC. And it burrows into the computer systems that support U.S. critical infrastructure industries in a bid to undermine Taiwan’s security partnership with the U.S.
No comments:
Post a Comment