China Blames Taiwan for Cyberattack, Taiwan Says China Is Spreading Lies

In a new cyber dispute, Chinese authorities have accused Taiwan's government of backing a cyberattack on a tech company in China. Taiwan has strongly denied the claim and hit back, accusing China of spreading false information.

On Tuesday, officials in Guangdong province, China, said a hacker group that attacked a Chinese technology firm was supported by Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). The statement was based on early findings from a police investigation. The DPP is the current government in Taiwan.

In response, Taiwan’s National Security Bureau dismissed the accusations, saying the Chinese Communist Party (CPC) is actually the one behind many cyberattacks. Taiwan said China is “manipulating inaccurate information” to cover up its own hacking activities and to shift global attention away from its actions.

Taiwan and China have long had tense relations. China sees Taiwan as part of its territory, even though Taiwan is a self-governed and democratic island. Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te, who recently completed one year in office, has said that only Taiwan’s people can decide their future.

According to Chinese state media outlet Xinhua, the hackers had targeted network systems in more than 10 provinces across China, hitting sectors like the military, energy, water systems, transportation, and government agencies. Xinhua also said the hacking methods were “simple and crude.”

Taiwan fired back, saying the CPC has a history of hacking, stealing money from Taiwan, spreading false information, and trying to divide Taiwanese society by attacking critical infrastructure and launching “cognitive warfare.”

The latest exchange highlights rising cyber tensions between the two sides, with each accusing the other of online attacks and disinformation campaigns.