Beijing’s top anti-espionage agency released a list of Taiwanese individuals on Friday that it said were working for Taiwan’s intelligence service to spread pro-independence messages and stir cross-strait tensions online.
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In a statement on its social media account, the Ministry of State Security also said that it had identified a number of suspicious online “troll army” accounts on multiple social networking platforms both within mainland China and beyond, which displayed strong connections through similar content, account linkages and inflammatory messages.
The accounts were found to be operated by a media company known to be under the command of Taiwan’s Military Intelligence Bureau, the ministry said, accusing them of carrying out propaganda and sabotage activities targeting mainland China.
The ministry also accused a Taiwanese military intelligence official and two agents of the media company of spreading false information, promoting “Taiwan independence” and manipulating public opinion on the Chinese internet.
They would be held accountable for life under the Anti-Secession Law, it said.
Xi’s National Day speech warns against Taiwan independence
Xi’s National Day speech warns against Taiwan independence
Intelligence officer Lin Ziyu was involved in directing “counter-propaganda and sabotage activities against mainland China” under an alias, according to the state security ministry statement.