Ex-US Intel Chief Urges Taiwan to Register Disinformation Agents Like Foreign Proxies

Former US Navy Rear Admiral Mike Studeman, who previously served as the intelligence deputy chief (J2) for the US Indo-Pacific Command, has proposed a novel strategy for Taiwan to counter Chinese Communist Party (CCP) infiltration. Studeman suggests that Taiwan could adopt a system similar to the "foreign agent" registration, requiring individuals who spread disinformation to register. This measure, he argues, would increase the cost of their actions and label them as "polluted information sources" without compromising Taiwan's democratic freedoms.

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Taiwan can learn from the "foreign government agent" system to register disinformation spreaders, which can increase the cost of their actions and label them as "polluted information sources" without sacrificing the freedom and openness of its democratic society.

Studeman highlighted the "360-degree" nature of the CCP's infiltration efforts in Taiwan, which extend across all facets of society. This includes targeting students with historical study programs, businesses through market access incentives or investment opportunities, and even religious organizations by providing donations to exert influence. He stressed that such pervasive infiltration necessitates robust regulations and legal frameworks in every sector to clearly define and criminalize specific behaviors.

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The CCP's infiltration of Taiwan is '360-degree,' encompassing students, businesses, criminal groups, and even religious organizations.

Addressing the challenge of cognitive warfare waged by China through disinformation, Studeman noted the existing anti-fraud regulations but pointed out the difficulty in addressing more overt forms of fake news due to the delicate balance with freedom of speech. His proposed solution of registering disinformation spreaders as "foreign government agents" would not infringe upon their freedom of expression but would significantly raise the stakes, effectively tagging them as sources compromised by foreign adversarial forces.

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The true nature of modern warfare is that combat is hidden within the entire supply chain.

Furthermore, Studeman underscored the critical importance of protecting Taiwan's industrial base and critical infrastructure, framing it as an essential element of national security in contemporary warfare. He explained that modern conflict is deeply embedded within supply chains, making the origin and integrity of components and code, as well as the presence of backdoors or intrusions, paramount. He also pointed to the need for enhanced counter-intelligence capabilities, particularly concerning "insider threats"—individuals coerced by the CCP to steal secrets through human channels—an area where he believes even the US lacks sufficient resources.

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Protecting the industrial base and critical infrastructure is absolutely essential for national security.