Strait spying: China’s intelligence strategy towards Taiwan

Since President Ma Ying-jeou launched his policy of détente with China, the assumption has been that Beijing would reduce its military and intelligence stance towards Taiwan. That view is a dangerous misreading of China’s strategy

If any evidence were needed to prove that the conflict in the Taiwan Strait is far from resolved, it came with the arrest in late January of General Lo Hsien-che (羅賢哲) by Taiwanese authorities on charges of spying for China.

In what has been called by local media the island’s worst espionage case in nearly half a century, Lo’s arrest has sparked fears over his activities’ impact on Taiwan’s command, control, communications, computers and intelligence (C4I) capabilities. Moreover, given the close military relationship between Taiwan and the United States, any suggestion that Taiwan’s C4I capabilities have been compromised could impact negatively on the potential for future US arms sales to the island.

My article, published on March 28 in Jane’s Intelligence Review (China Watch), can be accessed here (subscription required).