Taiwan military counters Chinese cognitive warfare ahead of Double Ten Day

Ahead of Taiwan's Double Ten National Day, mainland China simultaneously launched a cognitive warfare campaign through diplomatic activities and "warm-hearted" narratives, aiming to plant the concepts of "doubt toward the U.S." and "abandoning Taiwan" in international and cross-strait public opinion. According to informed sources, this wave of operations includes arranging friendly interactions at international conferences, releasing pro-Taiwan messages, and combining social media platforms and internet forums to spread positive rhetoric regarding China's policy toward Taiwan. This is an attempt to diminish Taiwan's visibility on the international stage and undermine the United States' security commitments. As Taiwan's National Day, the Double Ten has always been the focal point of cross-strait political maneuvering, and China's choice to package this in the guise of "peace" and "cooperation" is a textbook tactic of cognitive warfare.

Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense and related agencies activated defense mechanisms immediately, with the national armed forces taking the initiative to conduct informational counteractions. Specific measures include strengthening external explanations of Taiwan's defense policy, issuing official statements to clarify China's misinformation, and utilizing military exercises and combat simulations to demonstrate the determination for defense to domestic and international audiences. The prompt response by the armed forces is not only an immediate counterattack against information warfare, but also demonstrates that Taiwan has formed a cross-departmental protective network in the smokeless battlefield, preventing the cognitive space from being unilaterally filled.

The core of cognitive warfare lies in contending for the "right of discourse" and "cognitive space." If Taiwan chooses silence or retreat during this round of offenses, the international community's understanding of cross-strait relations is easily dominated by China's unilateral narrative, which in turn affects the policy judgments of the United States and other allies. Over the past few years, U.S. arms sales to Taiwan and policy statements have repeatedly become the focus of Chinese propaganda. By emphasizing the narrative that "the United States is unreliable," China attempts to erode Taiwan's confidence in U.S. security commitments. If successful, such a strategy would secure greater maneuvering room for Beijing in future cross-strait negotiations or international disputes.

Taiwanese society and the media also play crucial roles under this situation. Independent media platforms and traditional news organizations have successively launched series of reports analyzing China's information operation techniques, while inviting experts and scholars to explain the hazards of the "doubt toward the U.S." and "abandoning Taiwan" theories. Civilian groups have enhanced public ability to identify information sources through civic education and online discussions, preventing fake news from spreading rapidly across social media platforms. These spontaneous defensive actions complement the government's official response, making Taiwan's defense line in cognitive warfare even more robust.

In summary, China's cognitive warfare around the time of the Double Ten National Day is not only a challenge to Taiwan's international image, but also a test of Taiwan's internal cohesion and information security. If Taiwan can continue to respond in a transparent and proactive manner while strengthening communication and coordination with the United States and other friendly nations, it will be able to maintain the initiative on the invisible battlefield and avoid being occupied by unilateral rhetoric. In the future, cognitive warfare will remain an important dimension of cross-strait competition, and Taiwan's defense strategy must balance both military and informational dimensions in order to maintain flexibility and resilience in a complex international environment. (Source of facts: Central News Agency)