Taipei, Jan 12 (NationPress) Taiwan's leading intelligence agency has accused China of employing IT and marketing companies to fabricate fake news websites, manage social media accounts, and disseminate misinformation as part of its cognitive warfare strategy against the self-governing island, as reported by local media.

On Sunday, the National Security Bureau (NSB) released findings in an analysis detailing the People's Republic of China's (PRC) cognitive warfare tactics against Taiwan in 2025, according to Taiwan-based Central News Agency (CNA).

In 2025, Taiwan's national intelligence gathering team identified over 45,000 fake social media accounts and more than 2.314 million pieces of misinformation being circulated through these methods, as per the NSB's report.

The NSB stated that this misinformation was propagated by fake and bot accounts controlled by Chinese IT firms that have built databases and created automated systems to manage them, operating under the guidance of the PRC's Central Publicity Department and the Ministry of Public Security (MPS).

The Central Publicity Department and the MPS collaborate with marketing companies like Haixunshe, Haimai, and Huya to launch fake news websites that promote narratives favorable to China's official positions. The NSB pointed out that these websites initially draw in followers with enticing soft content before shifting their posts to political topics to sway public opinion in Taiwan.

The NSB further asserted that through these actions, China seeks to sow discord within Taiwan, diminish the Taiwanese people's resolve to resist, influence allies' willingness to support Taiwan when necessary, and garner support for China's interests among the Taiwanese populace. The agency emphasized its commitment to collaborating with relevant government departments and enhancing efforts to partner with fact-checking organizations and social media platforms, urging them to identify and eliminate false information.

Last week, the NSB accused the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) of conducting military drills near the self-governing island, alongside cyberattacks, sharing over 19,000 controversial messages, and executing millions of hacking attempts, according to local media.

In a report submitted to the Legislative Yuan, the agency indicated that online activities involved 799 abnormal accounts and were aimed at fostering skepticism regarding the US, Taiwan's President William Lai, and the military, raising concerns about Taiwan's self-defense capabilities, reported Taiwan's daily Taipei Times.

The bureau indicated that cyber intrusions targeting government networks escalated during the military exercises, peaking at approximately 2.08 million attacks on the first day and escalating to around 2.09 million on the second day.