"The Island Being Taken from Within" — The True Nature of the "Invisible Invasion" Shaking Taiwan: Reasons for Growing Anxiety Towards China

1. Introduction — "The Next Battlefield" is the Human Mind

When one hears "China's threat," it's easy to think of warships and missiles. However, young activist Chen Rufen in Taipei points to a quieter battlefield. "Inside smartphones and on the floor of the Legislative Yuan. That's the front line." The Financial Times (FT) also sounded the same alarm.

2. KMT VS DPP — The Struggle Over the "Parliamentary Coup"

This summer, the KMT pushed through a reform bill under the name of "parliamentary reform," which included expanding investigative powers, using their numerical strength. The ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) fiercely opposed it as "the self-destruction of democracy," leading to daily clashes in the chamber. Lobbying activities by Beijing-affiliated groups supporting the opposition were also pointed out, and the theory of "internal takeover" quickly spread.aei.org.

3. Beijing's "Hybrid Warfare" Three Pillars

1. Deepening Economic Dependence— Applying "carrot and stick" tactics to local leaders using tourism and agricultural and marine products.

2. Information Operations— Stirring anxiety with anonymous social media accounts and fake news claiming "Taiwan is divided" and "The U.S. is withdrawing." CS Monitor reported that "China is expanding speech control with travel sanction cards."csmonitor.com.

3. Cultivating Political Collaborators— Targeting local legislators and business figures to lay the "Red Highway." FT analyzes this as a modern version of the "United Front Work" continuing from the Mao Zedong era.

4. Grassroots Counterattack — Recalls and Digital Mobilization

"Even if elected, they can be toppled." The recall movement for 24 pro-China legislators that began in July introduced "election tech," mapping voters by district and collecting signatures via LINE bots. The Guardian described it as a "revival of the Sunflower Movement."The Guardian. About 20,000 people gathered at the Taipei rally on the 19th, and according to CNA, "a line of citizens persistently heading to the ballot box" continued until nightfall.Focus Taiwan - CNA English News.

5. Live Coverage on SNS — #LegislativeYuanCoup Trends at No. 1

According to Buzzing's tally, related posts surpassed 10,000 immediately after the FT article was published, with the most retweeted being a student group's video saying "Don't hand over Taiwan with a single law."Buzzing. Expert Kenneth Weinstein warns of a "two-front strategy of economic embrace and institutional manipulation," and overseas media also re-disseminate the message.

6. Expert Prescriptions — Strengthening Resilience

• Legislative Aspect: Early enactment of the Foreign Influence Transparency Act (FITA)

• Economic Aspect: Publicly disclose the "Exposure Index" measuring dependence on China by industry

• Information Aspect: Incorporate disinformation verification into the educational curriculum and develop bot detection AI domestically

A report from a DPP-affiliated think tank urges, "Division is Beijing's greatest weapon. Ensure a healthy dialogue space."

7. International Community's Perspective

During Foreign Minister Lee Ke-ming's visit to the U.S., Canada, and Europe in April, the "Democratic Tech Alliance" was on the agenda, and a joint project to block disinformation with AI analysis was proposed. The Japanese government also revised its white paper in June, stating "Taiwan contingency is Japan's contingency," significantly strengthening the information warfare section.

8. Conclusion

What Taiwan faces is not tanks, but "invisible pressure" slipping through the doors of the parliament. Yet, Chen Rufen smiles. "We have votes and hashtags. Democracy is fragile, but we also have the tools to repair it in our hands."

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