Taiwan should regard a cyberattack that causes “real harm or loss of life” as an act of war and respond with armed force, said Su Tzu-yun (蘇紫雲), a research fellow at the state-run Institute for National Defense and Security Research.
In March last year, then-minister of national defense Chiu Kuo-cheng (邱國正) broadened Taiwan’s definition of a “first blow” to include intrusions by Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft into the nation’s sovereign airspace, citing a shifting operational environment and Beijing’s growing use of “gray zone” tactics.
In June last year, Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo (顧立雄) said the armed forces would respond with force only in self-defense against Chinese aggression, including attacks on Taiwanese aircraft, ships, infrastructure or sovereign territory — covering Taiwan proper and its outlying islands — as well as unauthorized entry by Chinese aircraft within 12 nautical miles (22.22km) of Taiwan’s coastline.
Photo: Reuters
Taiwan’s response would be proportional to the “first blow” made by China, he said at the time.
Asked this week how the military should respond to a large-scale cyberattack, Su said that while cyberoperations are less visible than physical incursions or weapons fire, most governments already consider cyberattacks that cause casualties or serious harm to be casus belli — an event that provokes war.
Taiwan could and should adopt the same standard for responding to cyberattacks, provided any armed retaliation remains proportional to the hostile action, Su said.
NATO’s Tallinn Manual affirms the right of member states to invoke Article 51 of the UN Charter — allowing self-defense — if they come under cyberattack, he said.
In 2019, the US and Japan amended their Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security to explicitly state that Washington is obligated to defend Japan, or US forces stationed there, against cyberwarfare attacks, he added.
Israel takes a more forceful approach, with a policy of issuing warnings over hacking traced to Hamas before launching airstrikes on the identified sources, Su said.
FUKUOKA SITUATION: Japanese media reported that the pathogen is expected to be identified by the summer, while the CDC downplayed the idea that it was hMPV A “mysterious cold-like illness” reported in Japan’s Fukuoka Prefecture does not seem to be a new disease, but Japanese authorities have been asked about the situation, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday. The Fukuoka Prefectural Medical Association on Wednesday told a news conference that a “mystery cold” that has become a hot topic on social media is “highly likely to be caused by some kind of viral infection,” Japan’s KBC News reported. “Many people are experiencing symptoms starting with a sore throat, followed by a runny nose, phlegm and a severe cough,” KBC News reported, citing association officials. Health authorities are
Nvidia Corp CEO Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) arrived in Taiwan yesterday ahead of upcoming AI and technology events, saying he plans to meet with clients and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家) during his visit. After landing at Taipei Songshan Airport, Huang posed for photos with fans and handed out Yakult drinks to reporters and supporters waiting at the scene, saying he has “a lot to do” during the trip. Asked about reports that Nvidia’s planned headquarters site in Taipei’s Beitou Shilin Technology Park could break ground on May 27, Huang said that if the company holds an event, he would
The Ministry of Finance this afternoon announced the winning numbers for the March-April uniform invoice lottery. The winning number for the NT$10 million (US$318,060) special prize is 19531471, and the winning number for the NT$2 million grand prize is 85941329. Three numbers were drawn for the NT$200,000 first prize: 07225810, 20231230 and 83518781. Those with receipts matching the last seven digits of any of the first-prize numbers will win the NT$40,000 second prize, while those matching the last six digits will win the NT$10,000 third prize. Those whose receipts match the last five digits of the first-prize numbers can claim the NT$4,000 fourth prize,
Former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) yesterday expressed “shock and regret” over a statement issued by his wife without his consent, and rejected her assertion that his eldest sister, Ma Yi-nan (馬以南), would manage his medical care or act as his spokesperson amid an ongoing embezzlement probe into his foundation. Ma Ying-jeou in a statement said he was shocked by a statement by his wife, Chou Mei-ching (周美青), regarding his affairs. Ma Yi-nan “must not” be in charge of his healthcare and other personal affairs, nor can she be allowed to represent the Ma family, the former president said. He said he was also
RSS