'Disabling cyberattack' on Taiwan by China possible during war, say experts

Washington [US], December 11 : As China continues to mount pressure in the Taiwan Strait, cyber experts have warned of a possible "disabling cyberattack" on the island from China.
Beijing claims full sovereignty over Taiwan despite separate governance for more than seven decades. China has threatened that "Taiwan's independence" means war.
Experts believe that a straight-up military invasion would cost lives and mobilize US forces for Taiwan's defence, Washington based American broadcaster Voice of America (VOA) reported. However, disruptive cyberattacks could sow chaos and soften Taiwan's defences, said Chen Yi-fan, assistant professor of international relations at Tamkang University in Taiwan.
Chinese operators are already using the internet to launch a great number of attacks each month, mostly targeting websites run by the government and Taiwan's all-important semiconductor companies, Chen said.
"PLA's (People's Liberation Army) Strategic Support Force and its Network Systems Department may be those behind the scenes to conduct the manoeuvres," Chen said. "Successful cyberattacks can disable Taiwan's critical infrastructure and make Taiwan vulnerable to follow-up PLA attacks."
In a recent report, Taiwan's Defense Ministry said that attacks today seek to steal intelligence and compile a list for cyberattacks in the "precision strike phase of any future operations".
According to the report, cyberattacks can be used to sabotage and destroy "national critical infrastructures and C2 [command and control] systems to cause turbulence and chaos in its society and decimate the internal security kept by the military and law enforcement organs of the nation and its government functions."
Alexander Huang, chairman of a military strategy research foundation in Taipei, said that successful cyberattacks on financial institutions and other targets would shake people's confidence, VOA reported.
All of Taiwan's "critical infrastructure" is connected by the internet, he added, a linkage that could cause "great difficulties" as well as widespread panic among people.
Interestingly, the US has also increased its rhetoric in recent months on the question of a possible Chinese attack on Taiwan. In October this year, US President Joe Biden had said that the United States would come to Taiwan's defence if it came under attack by China.
"Yes, we have a commitment to do that," said Biden while answering a question at a CNN town hall meeting.