Rising tensions over Taiwan prompts US to take proactive approach in cyberspace

Correction: This story has been updated to clarify the history of Taiwan’s cyber infrastructure.

A recent bill introduced by U.S. lawmakers aimed to strengthen Taiwan’s cyber defenses signals how the U.S. is shifting its focus from the Russia-Ukraine war to the China-Taiwan conflict as tension continues to rise in the Indo-Pacific region.

China, which has become an emerging power in cyberspace, is alleged to have launched about 20 to 40 million cyberattacks every month in 2019 against Taiwan, with some later being used against the U.S., lawmakers said. 

The bipartisan legislation, called the Taiwan Cybersecurity Resiliency Act, would require the Department of Defense to broaden and strengthen cybersecurity cooperation with Taiwan by conducting cyber training exercises, defending the country’s military networks, infrastructure and systems, and leveraging U.S. cybersecurity technologies to help defend Taiwan against Chinese cyberattacks. 

“I think that this is one way to try to be proactive in terms of ensuring that if something were to happen — and knowing that cyberspace is going to be vulnerable —  that we’re going to try to bolster up defenses as much as we can early on,” said Alexandra Seymour, an associate fellow for the technology and national security program at the Center for a New American Security, a non-partisan think tank.

Seymour added that cyberspace is increasingly being integrated into military operations and suspects that this bill was introduced in part because of increasing fears that China may invade Taiwan at some point.

The bill, which was introduced last week, comes as tension mounts between the U.S., China and Taiwan. Earlier this month, China ordered naval and air drills over Taiwan following Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-Wen’s trip to California, where she met with Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and other U.S. lawmakers.

McCarthy said Tsai’s visit provided “greater peace and stability for the world,” disregarding previous objections from China to the meeting.

“In disregard of China’s repeated representations and firm opposition, the United States allowed Tsai Ing-wen, leader of the Taiwan region, to ‘transit’ in the U.S. and engage in political activities,” the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement following the meeting. 

The trip also prompted China to issue sanctions against the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and the Hudson Institute, a Washington-based think tank, for hosting and giving Tsai a public platform.

Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), one of four lawmakers who co-sponsored the bill, said that “strengthening Taiwan’s military cyber capabilities is one of multiple measures needed to build Taiwan into a well-armed porcupine,” adding that “Taiwan’s security is vital to our own national security.”

James Turgal, vice president of cyber consultancy Optiv, who supports the bill, said that Taiwan has been a target of Chinese cyber operations over the years.

Just last year, Taiwan’s presidential office and defense ministry were hit with cyberattacks following a visit from then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), adding to the rising tensions over the island.  

“China is probably the number one prolific offensive cyber nation state out there,” Turgal said, adding that the east Asian country is likely taking a page out of Russia’s cyber playbook and applying it to its own situation with Taiwan.

U.S. Cyber Command Director Gen. Paul Nakasone has also stated that China is becoming a growing and persistent threat in cyberspace, describing the country as “a very capable force” and “a very formidable foe” in this domain.

Turgal said that publicly, China will continue to voice their opposition against the growing relations between the U.S. and Taiwan, and warn the U.S. not to violate its “One China” policy since it considers the island as part of its sovereign territory. 

But privately, it will probably increase its cyber operations against both Taiwan and the U.S.

Turgal also said that board members at companies are also shifting the conversation from the Russia-Ukraine war and are now asking him how the China-Taiwan conflict could impact their businesses in China from a cyber standpoint. 

“What are the implications when China goes into Taiwan?” the board members asked him, he said. 

Drawing parallels with the Russia-Ukraine war

As the U.S. shifts its focus to the Indo-Pacific region, it will be armed with a slew of lessons learned from the war in Ukraine, particularly the way the Russians launched several disruptive cyberattacks against Ukrainian critical infrastructure prior to invading the country, and how they have use them in conjunction with their military operations on the ground.

Turgal said the U.S. has learned a lot from its assistance in Ukraine, including in cyberspace, and doesn’t anticipate its support in Taiwan to be any different. 

“I think all of those lessons learned and everybody that came together with defending Ukraine, I think it will be the exact same situation in Taiwan,” he said. 

However, he said the main difference the U.S. will have to keep in mind as they prepare to provide support is that Taiwan’s IT infrastructure will be different than Ukraine’s since theirs was built by the Russians during the soviet era.

Updated on May 4