Taiwan

Cuts Both Ways: The Geography, Technology and Strategy of Undersea Cable Sabotage in the Pacific

Abstract:

This article builds on the extant literature on undersea cables and information warfare by offering an analytic pathway to explore the operational limitations and strategic logic of attacks on undersea cables. While China possesses a host of capabilities that could be used to support an undersea sabotage campaign, there are also several technical, geographic, and strategic factors constraining its actions. China’s information warfare doctrine demands that its forces seek to obtain information dominance, but cutting cables will degrade both Taiwan’s and the PLA’s ability to operate within the information sphere. In short, cable sabotage cuts both ways.

Published In

Volume 25, Issue 3

How China Uses Social Media in Grey Zone Operations toward Taiwan

Abstract:

The term ‘grey zone’ indicates a state actor’s actions up to the point of armed conflict and is increasingly associated with China’s foreign policy. China has harnessed Western social media to defend its national interests, drawing international attention to its discourse of war and its often-hostile rhetoric. This paper analyses Chinese state-sponsored tweets about Taiwan, a focal point for Chinese grey zone activity. Empirical topic modelling techniques to aggregate narratives in large-scale social media data were leveraged to interpret them from a doctrinal understanding of Chinese influence operations. Additionally, the authors used statistical methods to examine the relationship between China’s information and military operations toward Taiwan. This paper finds that China uses its state-sponsored accounts to coordinate and amplify social media messaging around military campaigns with strategic importance. Additionally, the presence of a multipronged approach using social media to support military campaigns may indicate an escalation in conflict.

Published In

Volume 22, Issue 4

Journal of Information Warfare

The definitive publication for the best and latest research and analysis on information warfare, information operations, and cyber crime. Available in traditional hard copy or online.

Keywords

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AI
APT

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C
C2
C2S
CDX
CIA
CIP
CPS

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DNS
DoD
DoS

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e

F

G

H

I
IA
ICS
ICT

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J

K

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M

N
NEC
NSA
NSS

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PDA

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SOA

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t

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V

W

X
XRY

Y

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The definitive publication for the best and latest research and analysis on information warfare, information operations, and cyber crime. Available in traditional hard copy or online.

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