Taiwan’s government has dismissed China’s accusations that it is responsible for cyberattacks, asserting instead that China is the true perpetrator of global hacking activities. Senior Taiwanese officials responded on Tuesday after China’s national security ministry accused a military-backed Taiwanese hacking group, Anonymous 64, of launching cyberattacks on Chinese targets. China released images of three alleged group members and urged citizens to report what it called “anti-propaganda sabotage.”
Taiwan’s Defense Minister, Wellington Koo, addressed the accusations during a press briefing, stating that China leads in global cyberattacks, particularly targeting Taiwan and countries with democratic values. “China is the first country when it comes to daily cyberattacks, doing it against Taiwan and countries with similar democratic ideals. They are the real originators,” Koo declared. He further asserted that China’s claims were false, reaffirming Taiwan’s military commitment to defend the country without being deterred by these accusations.
Premier Cho Jung-tai also criticized China for spreading disinformation, labeling Beijing’s allegations as fake news designed to undermine Taiwan. “We must respond forcefully to fake news accusations against us,” Cho stated, calling for a robust response to counter such claims.
The incident comes amid broader tensions between Taiwan and China, with Beijing maintaining its claim that Taiwan is part of its territory and refusing to rule out the use of force to bring the island under its control. Taiwan’s government, led by President Lai Ching-te, has repeatedly rejected these sovereignty claims, emphasizing that only Taiwan’s people have the right to decide their future.
Featured Image courtesy of The Japan Times
Follow us for more updates on these cyberattacks.