Taiwan's military highlights Chinese disinformation during large-scale drill

Taipei, Dec. 30 (CNA) Taiwan's military on Tuesday warned the public about a wave of Chinese disinformation circulating online amid Beijing's ongoing large-scale military exercise around the island, urging people not to fall for false claims aimed at undermining public morale.

"We have identified 46 pieces of disinformation since the Chinese communists began their military exercise, mainly focused on attacking our policies, slandering our armed forces, and eroding trust in the United States," Major General Chu Hui-fang (朱蕙芳), head of psychological warfare at the Ministry of National Defense's (MND) Political Warfare Bureau, said at a news conference Tuesday evening.

One piece of disinformation published by the Chinese state-run media platform Global Times claimed that China Coast Guard vessels had quarantined the ports of Keelung, Tainan, Kaohsiung and Hualien, she said.

Another claim, which appeared in online videos, alleged that People's Liberation Army (PLA) forces had advanced to within nine kilometers of Taiwan's southern shores, Chu said.

The MND has been monitoring Chinese disinformation and issuing clarifications where necessary, Chu said.

None of the Chinese warplanes or warships detected near Taiwan have entered the country's territorial waters, Lieutenant General Hsieh Jih-sheng (謝日升), deputy chief of the general staff for intelligence at the MND, said.

Hsieh also rejected a video released Monday by China's state-run news broadcaster CCTV that included what appeared to be drone footage of the Taipei 101 skyscraper, accompanied by a caption suggesting that an aircraft had flown close to the landmark.

Although drone activity was detected during the exercise, none entered Taiwan's contiguous zone, which extends 24 nautical miles (44.4 kilometers) from the coastline, Hsieh said.

MND spokesperson Sun Li-fang (孫立方) said that every major People's Liberation Army (PLA) exercise since August 2022 has combined military and non-military actions aimed at influencing public opinion in Taiwan, neighboring countries and Taiwan-friendly countries.

Earlier in the day, President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) urged the public in a social media post to be mindful of disinformation accompanying the exercise.

"At this critical moment, unity between the military and civilians in countering misinformation and disinformation constitutes the strongest defense of our democratic homeland," Lai wrote.