Beware of Chinese Election Interference, Warns Former Official After Phishing Attack

Former official Tu Hsing-che warns of escalating Chinese interference in Taiwan's upcoming elections, urging the public to be cautious of sophisticated phishing operations. Tu recently fell victim to a scam where a message, initially appearing to be from Yilan County Magistrate Lin Tsung-hsien, requested a vote in a children's drawing competition. Upon clicking the link, his personal data was compromised, leading to friends receiving malicious files in his name.

Tu recounts how the initial message was in traditional Chinese, but follow-up requests for votes used simplified characters, revealing the Chinese origin of the phishing attempt. He quickly reset his passwords but found his LINE account flagged as fraudulent, causing significant disruption. He suspects the timing of these attacks, coinciding with the year-end elections, is deliberate, aimed at sowing division within the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and undermining public trust to benefit the opposition.

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The Chinese Communist Party will definitely use various methods to interfere in Taiwan's elections. With the county magistrate elections approaching this year, it's no wonder the CCP is making a move again.

Recalling the alleged Chinese cyber intervention in the 2018 Kaohsiung mayoral election, which saw Han Kuo-yu's victory, Tu emphasizes that Beijing will employ various tactics. He reported the incident to the police to prevent the misuse of his identity for spreading false information or committing fraud. Tu stressed that he would not forward divisive materials or participate in any voting or fundraising requests, urging others to exercise extreme caution.

Tu concluded by warning that the Chinese Communist Party, in collaboration with its proxies in Taiwan and potentially the Kuomintang, will likely use fake identities and fabricated content to manipulate public opinion. He drew parallels to U.S. President Trump's accusations of Chinese interference in American elections, underscoring the need for heightened vigilance among Taiwanese citizens to protect their democracy.

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We should be even more cautious.