Taiwan has reported an unprecedented surge in cyberattacks originating from China, with an average of 2.63 million incidents a day recorded throughout 2025, according to a new government report.
The findings, released on Sunday by Taiwan’s National Security Bureau, show attacks on critical infrastructure-including banks, hospitals and government systems-rose by 6 per cent compared with the previous year.
The bureau warned the activity was no longer sporadic but increasingly coordinated with Chinese military manoeuvres, creating what it described as a ‘hybrid threat’ aimed at destabilising the self-governed island.
Taiwan has long been a focal point of so-called ‘grey zone’ warfare - coercive actions that fall short of open conflict. The latest figures point to a sharp escalation.
The daily average of cyberattacks in 2025 represents a 113 per cent increase compared with 2023, when the bureau first began publishing such data.
While earlier campaigns focused largely on espionage, the report said recent activity had shifted towards operational disruption. Energy networks, emergency services and healthcare systems recorded the steepest year-on-year rises in targeting.
"Such a trend indicates a deliberate attempt by China to compromise Taiwan’s crucial infrastructure comprehensively and to disrupt or paralyse Taiwanese government and social functions," the report stated.
The bureau added that China’s cyber operations were increasingly coordinated with the People’s Liberation Army.
In 2025, Beijing launched 40 "joint combat readiness patrols," sending military aircraft and naval vessels dangerously close to the island. On 23 of those occasions, cyberattacks intensified at the same time.
The report said cyber activity closely tracked sensitive political moments and diplomatic engagement.
Attacks surged in May 2025 after President Lai Ching-te marked his first year in office with a public address. Beijing regards Lai as a separatist and has rejected his calls for dialogue.
A similar spike was recorded in November when Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim met lawmakers at the European Parliament, a visit that prompted strong criticism from Beijing.
"China’s moves align with its strategic need to employ hybrid threats against Taiwan during both peacetime and wartime," the report noted.
The report also highlights sustained efforts to infiltrate Taiwan’s semiconductor industry, a cornerstone of the island’s economy and global supply chains.
Science parks hosting major chipmakers have become key targets. Taiwan produces the majority of the world’s most advanced semiconductors, which are essential for consumer electronics, military hardware and artificial intelligence.
According to the bureau, attackers used techniques including man-in-the-middle intrusions and distributed denial-of-service attacks to breach telecommunications networks, with the primary aim of stealing advanced technology.
The activity was described as an attempt to boost China’s technological self-sufficiency and avoid being disadvantaged in the U.S.-China technology rivalry, as Washington tightens export controls on advanced chips.
China routinely denies involvement in hacking operations, describing itself as a victim of cyberattacks rather than a perpetrator. The Taiwan Affairs Office did not respond to request for comment regarding the report.
Beijing claims Taiwan as part of its territory and has not ruled out the use of force to assert control. Taiwan’s government rejects that claim, insisting the island’s future can only be decided by its people.
China’s ruling Communist Party is stepping up oversight of technology firms, internet platforms and digital finance in a sweeping drive to ta...
A wave of bomb threats targeting passenger flights has disrupted air travel across Europe, forcing diversions, airport closures and fighter jet esc...
U.S. President Donald Trump says Washington will end its annual financial and military aid to Israel by the end of 2026, under an agreement he clai...
Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf says the U.S. must act to prevent war after Tehran sent a “strong and rational response” to Washington. Meanwhile, U.S. forces have reportedly carried out limited strikes against Iranian targets, including Qeshm Island,
Hundreds of millions of U.S. citizens head to the polls on 3 November to elect the House of Representatives and Senate. How they vote could influence the direction of Donald Trump’s remaining 26 months in office and the outcomes of the Ukraine and Iran conflicts.
A six-day humanitarian ceasefire in the Russian-held Ukrainian town of Oleshky ended on Sunday, 1 November, after facilitating aid deliveries and civilian evacuations.
Kyrgyzstan has emerged as Central Asia’s fastest-growing economy, fuelled by a construction boom, public investment and trade linked to Russia. But with Western sanctions tightening, can the country sustain its rapid growth?
Russia airstrikes on a school used as a humanitarian aid distribution point in southeastern Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia region killed at least 26 people, including rescue workers and police officers, Ukrainian officials said. Another 27 people were reported missing.
China’s ruling Communist Party is stepping up oversight of technology firms, internet platforms and digital finance in a sweeping drive to tackle corruption and tighten control over the country’s rapidly evolving digital economy.
A wave of bomb threats targeting passenger flights has disrupted air travel across Europe, forcing diversions, airport closures and fighter jet escorts. No explosives have been found, raising questions about who is behind the alerts and whether the disruption itself is the goal.
U.S. President Donald Trump says Washington will end its annual financial and military aid to Israel by the end of 2026, under an agreement he claims to have reached with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy has confirmed that Ukraine's negotiators will meet with Russian and U.S. delegations in Abu Dhabi next week for the first peace talks mediated by Washington since February.
Spanish police are investigating the death of Tenerife striker Jesús de Miguel, who died after a collision with an opposing goalkeeper during a second-division football match. The case raises questions about when an on-field challenge can become a criminal offence.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment