Overview

• Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te accused China of intensifying espionage and influence operations aimed at undermining Taiwan's sovereignty and democracy.
• Lai cited government data showing a sharp rise in espionage cases, with 64 individuals charged in 2024, three times more than in 2021, most of whom were military personnel.
• Proposed measures include stricter reviews of Chinese residency applications, resuming military courts, and regulating cross-strait flows of money, technology, and people.
• Recent incidents include Taiwanese celebrities in China making pro-Beijing statements under pressure and retired military personnel leaking sensitive information to Chinese agents.
• China continues to reject Taiwan's de facto independence and employs psychological warfare tactics, including military exercises near the island, to erode public morale.