Sat, Jun 24, 2023 page1

• China could use AI to meddle in polls

  DISINFORMATION: Manipulated media are being spread by China to discredit Taipei and create discontent among Taiwanese before the election, an official said

  • By Chung Li-hua and Jonathan Chin / Staff reporter, with staff writer
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  Beijing could use deepfake technology to create false allegations of electoral fraud or discredit candidates as part of its disinformation campaign to meddle in Taiwan’s elections next year, a national security official said yesterday.

  China is poised to redouble its efforts to influence electoral outcomes by manipulating the informational environment with novel technology, including generative artificial intelligence (AI) and digital manipulation of images and videos, they said on condition of anonymity.

  Beijing can use this technology to fabricate videos to support false allegations of electoral fraud or portray a candidate as engaging in offensive speech or behavior, the official said.

  

  A person types on a laptop with binary codes displayed in front of the Chinese flag on August 19 last year.

  Photo: REUTERS

  China’s disinformation campaign would be conducted to spread doubt among Taiwanese about the nation’s relationship with the US, presenting the election as a choice between war and peace, and discrediting Taipei’s ability to govern, they said.

  Beijing’s disinformation efforts revolve around arms procurement from the US and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co’s (台積電) planned expansion there, they said.

  Chinese disinformation utilizes co-opted non-Chinese media outlets and fake Web sites registered outside of Taiwan and China to pose as legitimate foreign institutions and distort real comments made by foreign officials, they said.

  That Washington plans to blow up Taiwanese chip factories to prevent key technology from being lost to Chinese invaders in the event of war is one example of disinformation spread using these methods, the official said.

  That fake story was disseminated by a news platform funded by a Beijing-based think tank, they added.

  After news media republished the story, Beijing used Silly Taiwan and other Chinese social media groups to promote its visibility on the Internet, they said.

  China seeks to undermine the confidence of Taiwanese in the military’s defense ability with intimidating videos of Chinese People’s Liberation Army drills, which make frequent use of visual spectacle and image manipulation, they said.

  The goal of Beijing’s efforts surrounding military matters and tensions in the Taiwan Strait is to deter Taiwan’s movement toward independence by using the threat of war to suggest that acquiescence to Beijing would bring peace, they said.

  For example, social media account Yu Yuan Tan Tian (玉淵譚天) recently published an altered image of a flotilla of Chinese warships sailing to within visual range of Hualien’s coastline, a post that went viral, the official said.

  China Central Television ran a news segment that used misleading visuals to suggest that Chinese aircraft carriers the Liaoning and Shandong jointly transited the Western Pacific to threaten Taiwan’s Chiashan Air Force Base, the official said.

  Sowing discord is another key component of Beijing’s efforts to discredit the Taiwanese government in the public’s eye, they said.

  Chinese propagandists made negative comments on the Chinese state-run Straits Plus platform about Taipei’s policy on livelihood issues, including the planned phasing out of nuclear power and the rising cost of electricity, they said.

  Beijing also shares edited short films on social media platforms like YouTube, Douyin (抖音) and Xigua Video (西瓜視頻) to spread discontent in Taiwanese society, the official said.

  Chinese officials are aware that overt threats could cause a backlash from Taiwan and are likely to refrain from conducting large-scale war games or imposing economic sanctions, starting this month, they said.

  Beijing’s bid to influence Taiwanese politics is likely to focus on livelihood and economic issues, creating unfavorable narratives surrounding specific politicians and manipulating public opinion against the Democratic Progressive Party, the official said.

  China would likely leverage cross-strait travel, inflation, the private morality of officials and other soft topics to serve as lines of attack against Taipei, they said.
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