Latest news with #TaiwanDefenceMinistry
Free Malaysia Today
3 days ago
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
China offers bounty on hackers it says are linked to Taiwan
Taiwan's defence ministry said it was not carrying out any 'corporate cyber attacks'. (File pic) BEIJING : Authorities in southern China have offered an undisclosed bounty for more than 20 people they say are linked to Taiwan and suspected of cyber attacks in China, the official news agency Xinhua said today, accusations Taipei strongly rejected. The public security bureau in the Chinese city of Guangzhou said the hackers were connected to the Taiwan government and published their pictures, names and Taiwan identity card numbers. 'Chinese authorities accused Taiwan of organising, planning and premeditating attacks on key sectors such as military, aerospace, government departments, energy and transportation, maritime affairs, science and technology research firms in China as well as in special administration regions Hong Kong and Macau,' Xinhua said. Xinhua, citing a cybersecurity report, said the Taiwan 'information, communication and digital army' had cooperated with US anti-Chinese forces to conduct public opinion and cognitive warfare against China, secretly instigating revolution and attempting to disrupt public order in China. Taiwan's defence ministry said in a statement it was not carrying out any 'corporate cyber attacks', and that China's offers of a bounty highlighted 'the rude and unreasonable attitude of the Chinese communists in intimidating and coercing the Taiwanese people'. 'Recent statements by the EU, the US and the Czech Republic condemning the Chinese communists' hacking organisations for carrying out cyber-attacks prove that the Chinese communists are not only a regional troublemaker, but a common threat to the global internet,' it added. A senior Taiwan security official told Reuters that the Chinese allegations were invented, saying Beijing was trying to shift the focus from Czech and European scrutiny over alleged Chinese hacking activities there. 'They fabricated a false narrative to shift the focus. It's a very typical behaviour by the Chinese Communist Party,' the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity given the sensitivity of the matter. China also said Taiwan had longstanding cooperation with the US National Security Agency, the Central Intelligence Agency and other intelligence agencies as part of the US' 'Asia-Pacific Strategy', calling it Taiwan's attempt to gain independence through relying on the US. 'The US intelligence department has long provided personnel training and technical equipment support for Taiwan's 'information, communication and digital army', and many police stations have sent 'hunting' teams to Taiwan, to launch a cyber attacks on China,' according to a social media post by an account linked to Chinese state television. Last week authorities in Guangzhou, the capital of southern Guangdong province, attributed a cyber attack on an unnamed technology company to the Taiwan government, saying Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party supported the 'overseas hacker organisation' responsible. In response, Taiwan said Beijing was peddling false information, and that it was China that was carrying out hacking against the island. China views Taiwan as its own territory. Taiwan's democratically elected government rejects Beijing's sovereignty claims. Chinese courts and legal bodies have no jurisdiction in Taiwan, whose government has repeatedly complained about Beijing's 'long armed jurisdiction' efforts.
Al Jazeera
17-02-2025
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Taiwan detects 24 Chinese military aircrafts near island
Taiwan has detected 24 Chinese military aircraft near the island as a Canadian warship passed through the sensitive Taiwan Strait, Taiwan's Ministry of National Defence says. The Chinese aircraft included fighter jets and drones and were spotted on Sunday carrying out 'joint combat readiness patrols' with military vessels around Taiwan, the ministry said in a statement. China's military radioed the Canadian frigate transiting through the Taiwan Strait and warned it to change course, Taiwan media reported. The Halifax-class frigate HMCS Ottawa was the first Canadian naval vessel to transit the waterway this year, Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. Its transit came days after two United States ships, a naval destroyer and survey ship, made the passage. The US and its allies regularly pass through the 180km (112-mile) Taiwan Strait to reinforce its status as an international waterway, angering China. The US destroyer and ocean survey ship travelled through the strait starting on Monday, drawing criticism from China's military, which said it sent the 'wrong signal and increased security risks'. Data published by the Taiwan Defence Ministry showed 62 Chinese military aircraft were detected near the island in the 48 hours until 6am on Wednesday (22:00 GMT on Tuesday), coinciding with the US ships' transit. Washington's latest passage through the Taiwan Strait was the first time since US President Donald Trump took office in January. It came after Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said they 'opposed any attempts to unilaterally change the status quo [in the Taiwan Strait] by force or coercion'. 'Cross-strait differences' to be resolved peacefully The US, like most countries, has no formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan but is its strongest international backer and provides military aid to the island to help it maintain its defence capabilities. While Trump has unnerved Taiwan since taking office with criticism of Taiwan's dominance in making semiconductors, his administration has also offered strong words of support. Taiwan's government rejects Beijing's claims of sovereignty over the island and says only Taiwan's people can decide their future. Taiwan says it is an independent country called the Republic of China. Beijing describes Taiwan as its 'core of core interests', regularly denouncing any show of support for Taipei from Washington. On Thursday, the US Department of State removed a statement on its website that said it does not support Taiwan's independence. A reference was also added to the webpage about Taiwan's cooperation with a Pentagon technology and semiconductor development project, and it says the US will support Taiwan's membership in international organisations 'where applicable'. 'We oppose any unilateral changes to the status quo from either side,' the updated State Department site reads. 'We expect cross-Strait differences to be resolved by peaceful means, free from coercion, in a manner acceptable to the people on both sides of the [Taiwan] Strait.' Taiwan Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung 'welcomed the support and positive stance on US-Taiwan relations demonstrated in the relevant content' of the website, his ministry said in a statement on Sunday. The changes in language were first reported by Taiwan's official Central News Agency on Sunday. The wording on Taiwan independence was also removed in 2022 before being restored a month later.
Al Jazeera
16-02-2025
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Taiwan detects dozens of Chinese aircraft near island
Taiwan has detected 24 Chinese military aircraft near the island as a Canadian warship passed through the sensitive Taiwan Strait, Taiwan's Ministry of National Defence says. The Chinese aircraft included fighter jets and drones and were spotted on Sunday carrying out 'joint combat readiness patrols' with military vessels around Taiwan, the ministry said in a statement. China's military radioed the Canadian frigate transiting through the Taiwan Strait and warned it to change course, Taiwan media reported. The Halifax-class frigate HMCS Ottawa was the first Canadian naval vessel to transit the waterway this year, Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. Its transit came days after two United States ships, a naval destroyer and survey ship, made the passage. The US and its allies regularly pass through the 180km (112-mile) Taiwan Strait to reinforce its status as an international waterway, angering China. The US destroyer and ocean survey ship travelled through the strait starting on Monday, drawing criticism from China's military, which said it sent the 'wrong signal and increased security risks'. Data published by the Taiwan Defence Ministry showed 62 Chinese military aircraft were detected near the island in the 48 hours until 6am on Wednesday (22:00 GMT on Tuesday), coinciding with the US ships' transit. Washington's latest passage through the Taiwan Strait was the first time since US President Donald Trump took office in January. It came after Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said they 'opposed any attempts to unilaterally change the status quo [in the Taiwan Strait] by force or coercion'. 'Cross-strait differences' to be resolved peacefully The US, like most countries, has no formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan but is its strongest international backer and provides military aid to the island to help it maintain its defence capabilities. While Trump has unnerved Taiwan since taking office with criticism of Taiwan's dominance in making semiconductors, his administration has also offered strong words of support. Taiwan's government rejects Beijing's claims of sovereignty over the island and says only Taiwan's people can decide their future. Taiwan says it is an independent country called the Republic of China. Beijing describes Taiwan as its 'core of core interests', regularly denouncing any show of support for Taipei from Washington. On Thursday, the US Department of State removed a statement on its website that said it does not support Taiwan's independence. A reference was also added to the webpage about Taiwan's cooperation with a Pentagon technology and semiconductor development project, and it says the US will support Taiwan's membership in international organisations 'where applicable'. 'We oppose any unilateral changes to the status quo from either side,' the updated State Department site reads. 'We expect cross-Strait differences to be resolved by peaceful means, free from coercion, in a manner acceptable to the people on both sides of the [Taiwan] Strait.' Taiwan Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung 'welcomed the support and positive stance on US-Taiwan relations demonstrated in the relevant content' of the website, his ministry said in a statement on Sunday. The changes in language were first reported by Taiwan's official Central News Agency on Sunday. The wording on Taiwan independence was also removed in 2022 before being restored a month later.
