Taiwan Reports Surge in Chinese Espionage Cases Amid Rising Tensions

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Taiwan’s National Security Bureau (NSB) reported a significant increase in espionage cases linked to China, with prosecutions tripling from 16 in 2021 to 64 in 2024. The rise comes amid escalating military and political pressure from Beijing, which claims Taiwan as its territory.

According to the NSB report released Sunday, 15 of the 64 individuals charged last year were military veterans, while 28 were active service members. The report highlighted that Chinese agents targeted military units, government agencies, and local associations, using diverse methods to infiltrate Taiwanese society.

“The Chinese Communist Party continues to use diverse channels and means to infiltrate all walks of life in order to absorb citizens to help them develop networks or gather sensitive government information,” the report stated. The NSB also noted that improved counter-intelligence capabilities have allowed authorities to uncover more cases of suspected espionage.

In recent years, Beijing has intensified its pressure on Taiwan, conducting large-scale military drills and deploying “gray zone” tactics—actions that fall below the threshold of war but aim to destabilize the island. Taiwan’s Defense Ministry reported that China recently fielded its largest naval and coast guard formations in decades near the Taiwan Strait.

The NSB report revealed that Chinese agents allegedly attempted to establish contacts with criminal gangs, local temples, and underground banks to recruit military personnel and pro-China groups. Some suspects were tasked with sabotage operations, including raising China’s flag in the event of an invasion or gathering intelligence for assassination assignments.

Chao Yu-hsiang, a resident search officer at Taiwan’s Institute of National Defense and Security Research, emphasized the need for vigilance. “Both our military and civilians should maintain a high level of vigilance in our words and deeds, develop good confidentiality habits, and use social media with caution to prevent those with ulterior motives from infiltrating, absorbing, and exploiting us,” he wrote in a recent publication.

China’s Ministry of State Security (MSS) has accused Taiwan of conducting espionage activities, claiming to have dismantled over a thousand Taiwanese spy networks in recent years. The MSS has also launched campaigns against foreign espionage, particularly amid deteriorating relations with Western powers, including the United States.

Taiwan’s government has repeatedly rejected China’s sovereignty claims, asserting that the island’s future must be decided by its 23.5 million people. Despite Beijing’s efforts to influence local elections and promote unification, Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party remains firmly in control, with strong public support for maintaining de facto independence.