Taiwan’s top security agency has accused China of using last week’s extensive war games, dubbed “Justice Mission 2025,” to weaken international support for the island while diverting attention from Beijing’s economic troubles.
The exercises, which included missile launches and massive naval and air deployments, disrupted flights and alarmed regional allies.
According to a report submitted by Taiwan’s National Security Bureau to Parliament, the drills were designed to “push back in the international arena against democratic partners’ support for Taiwan.”
The report said the exercises also aimed to redirect domestic dissatisfaction in China over economic setbacks into nationalist sentiment, framing it as “resisting external interference.”
Hybrid campaign targets Taiwan
Taiwan said China has increasingly relied on a “hybrid” strategy, combining military posturing with economic and information pressure.
The report cited Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s comment that a Chinese attack on Taiwan could be seen as an existential threat to Japan, highlighting the wider regional and international stakes.
Information warfare and cyberattacks
Taiwan reported that China leveraged state media, AI-generated content, and online “troll armies” to spread narratives undermining trust in Taiwan’s military, President Lai Ching-te, and U.S. support.
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Online Influence: 19,000 controversial messages were spread over five days via 799 accounts.
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Cyberattacks: Taiwan faced more than two million cyberattacks in the first two days of the drills, with PLA-linked groups such as APT24 and BlackTech active in the operations.
The report said these coordinated cyber campaigns sought to destabilize Taiwan’s cybersecurity environment and unsettle public morale.
Beijing’s response
China’s Taiwan Affairs Office did not comment directly on Taiwan’s report. In a press conference, it stated that the drills were intended to “staunchly defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity” and “uphold the shared interests of compatriots on both sides of the strait.”
Beijing claims Taiwan as its territory and has not ruled out using force, while Taipei maintains that only its people can determine the island’s future.
