TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Online rumors surrounding National Security Bureau (NSB) Director-General Chen Ming-tong’s (陳明通) alleged visit to Thailand in July have been rebutted as China’s cognitive warfare against Taiwan.
Chen, the country’s top intelligence official, was said to have traveled to Thailand for sightseeing purposes at the public's expense. Information about his alleged arrival time, accommodation details, and his photo taken at the customs clearance were published on various online platforms earlier this month, sparking fears about Taiwan’s security apparatus being compromised.
The NSB on Sept. 12 denounced relevant stories as untrue but declined to say whether Chen made the trip in a statement on its website.
According to an unspecified national security official, the dissemination of the information started with Sept. 12 posts by Twitter user @andreny45652235, an account only set up in August. The account, which has been suspended, appears to have been created solely for the disinformation campaign, Newtalk quoted the official as saying.
The rumor has continued to spread via Facebook groups, in addition to news outlets pushing the narrative about flawed workings in Taiwan’s security circles and the incompetence of the government, the official suggested.
China Times cited an official as saying the data leak could have resulted from system loopholes of the Thai government. The report also suggests that Taiwan and Thailand have been sharing intelligence about China and the disclosure of Chen’s travel plans could be intended as a warning and an attempt to sabotage the cooperation network.
