Rising Cyberattacks Amplify Taiwan-China Tensions

Cyberattacks on Taiwan's key infrastructure have increased by 6% in 2025, with several linked to China's military operations. Critical sectors, including energy and hospitals, are heavily targeted. Taiwan sees these attacks as part of China's hybrid warfare strategy, aiming to paralyze its society and force sovereignty claims.

The National Security Bureau of Taiwan reported a 6% rise in cyberattacks on the island's critical infrastructure in 2025, totaling an average of 2.63 million daily attacks. These were often synchronized with China's military drills, forming part of a 'hybrid threat' to disrupt Taiwanese society.

China has been accused of increasing military and political pressure on Taiwan, employing both cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns. These acts of aggression coincide with sensitive political events, as reported by the bureau, aiming to reinforce Beijing's claims of sovereignty over Taiwan.

Despite China's routine denials, the Taiwanese report highlighted the use of distributed denial-of-service and man-in-the-middle attacks targeting sectors like energy and telecommunications. The attacks threaten Taiwan's semiconductor industry, viewed as a strategic move to bolster China's technological self-reliance.

(With inputs from agencies.)