The Ministry of State Security said Wednesday that it had opened a case against 3 active-duty members of the Zitong Army, a unit of Taiwan’s Ministry of Defence, and released their names and photos, which the island described as“The first shot to punish independence”.
On the 23rd, Taiwan’s China time electronic newspaper said that the Ministry of State Security released an article entitled“Anonymous 64” on the wechat public account that day, saying that since this year, a hacker group called Anonymous 64 has launched frequent cyber attacks on the mainland, Hong Kong and Macau, trying to gain control over portals, outdoor electronic screens and Internet TV, “And then illegally upload, broadcast defamatory mainland political system and policies of the content, reverse black and white, spread rumors.”. A security agency investigation confirmed that Anonymous 64 was not an ordinary hacker. Its real background was the “Cyber Environment Research Center” of the cyber warfare unit of the Taiwan Zitong Electric Power Army, the center is dedicated to the implementation of the mainland network cognitive war, public opinion war. The article said that once the Taiwan Zitong Army was established, it launched various kinds of network infiltration activities against the mainland. On the one hand, China’s defense industry, aerospace, energy infrastructure and other areas as the focus of the search for targeted cyber attacks, “Attempting to steal sensitive data for the Taiwan authorities to collect intelligence.”. On the other hand, “Frequently distort network public opinion, hire water army, take the opportunity to stir up trouble, magnify contradictions, instigate opposition, profit from”.
The article reveals that Anonymous 64 has posted more than 70 posts on social media since it was founded, the targets of the attacks were internet-connected devices such as outdoor electronic screens, vending machines and Internet TV, as well as portals such as news media, airlines and universities, “Trying to create the impression that mainland cyber security is extremely fragile.”. However, the security agency found that the “Results” displayed by anonymous 64 were heavily watered down and exaggerated, and that most of the sites attacked were fake official websites, or long-term nobody pays attention to the botnet, what is more is this organization is produced through the method and so on P chart. On August 2nd, for example, a website run by a small internet company was attacked by Anonymous 64 for hosting the addresses of several official university forums, it has been described by the group as“The official forum that controls 40 universities on the mainland”.
Currently, mainland security authorities have locked down the identities of Taiwanese personnel involved in related cyber attacks, including active members of the Taiwan Zitong military, including Luo Junming, Hong Liqi and Liao Weilun. The Security Agency has opened a case against them. The ministry also called on mainland internet users to “Not believe or spread rumours” and report cyber attacks or counter-propaganda sabotage to security agency or relevant authorities.
Tang Yonghong, a professor at the Xiamen University Taiwan Research Institute, said in an interview on the 23rd that the move by the Ministry of National Security showed that China had entered the implementation stage of a law-breaking campaign against “Taiwan independence”, will play a more powerful deterrent to“Taiwan independence” forces. Ni Yongjie, director of the Institute of Taiwan Studies in Shanghai, said that this is a preemptive move against the“Taiwan independence” split, and sanctions against the Internet World’s anti-mainland remarks show that the area of China’s anti-“Taiwan independence” split is now expanding, and more precise.
In response to the article, Taiwan’s“Ministry of Defense Zitong Military Command,” 23, said in a press release, “The content of the mainland allegations is not the truth. KMT“Legislator” Li Yanxiu said that cross-strait confrontation has further entered the field of cyber warfare, hacking. She reminded the DPP authorities that any unsolicited attacks or hacking must be handled with caution in the face of continuing low and tense cross-strait relations.
Taiwan media recalled on the 23rd that before the DPP came to power in 2016, it had put forward the idea of creating a“Fourth military service”, that is, a“Military-level” force with the same level as the land, sea and air forces, the core mission is to be responsible for electronic warfare, information warfare, cyber security, and the management of internal military communications, and to have the offensive and defensive capabilities to deal with the PLA’s Cyberspace forces, under the jurisdiction of the information and communications unit, network warfare unit, electronic warfare center and other units. According to Taiwanese media, the Zitong Army is a mysterious force on the island. In 2022, after Pello, the then US President of the Chamber of Deputies of Tunisia, fled to Taiwan, the Zitong Army officers and soldiers played a “Key role in confronting the mainland”.
According to the actual log-in platform of Taiwan’s united news network, “Anonymous 64” has so far published a total of 72 posts, mostly reprinting some overseas content critical of the mainland, there are also some recent“Black” into the mainland’s well-known university and airport website photos, related posts like and comments are not many. Taiwan’s“United Daily” said on the 23rd that this was after the mainland published on June 21 this year“Opinions on punishing according to law the“Taiwan independence” diehards for breaking up the country and inciting separatism.” The first Taiwanese people to be investigated by the mainland on the basis of this opinion. According to the above-mentioned“Punishment for independence opinion”, if the mainland is recognized as“Especially serious harm to the country and the people, the circumstances are particularly bad”, can be sentenced to death. Mainland courts may try cases in absentia in which“Taiwan independence” diehards split the country or incite secession.