Chinese police offered rewards of $1,400 for information about 18 people were Taiwanese military psychological operations officers spreading "separatist" messages, a day after Taiwan pledged to boost its defenses on Saturday 11th October.
China views democratically-governed Taiwan as its own territory, over the strong objections of government in Taipei, and increased its military and political pressure against the island.
The public security bureau the Chinese city of Xiamen, which sits opposite Taiwan on other side of Taiwan Strait, 18 were core members of Taiwan military's "psychological warfare unit", and published their pictures, names and Taiwan identity card numbers. The unit handles tasks, disinformation, intelligence gathering, psychological warfare the broadcast of propaganda, the security bureau said in a statement.
The state news agency Xinhua said in a separate report, They launched websites for smear campaigns, created seditious games to incite secession, producing fake video content to mislead people, operated illegal radios for "infiltration", and manipulated public opinion with resources from "external forces".
Taiwan's defence ministry said the accusations reflected "despotic and pig-headed thinking of an authoritarian regime . trying to divide our people, belittle Taiwan's government, and conduct cognitive warfare."
Taiwan's ministry also said, China has repeatedly issued such reports that "exploit the free flow of information in our democratic society to piece together and fabricate personal data,". "Defending national security and protecting the safety and well-being of the people is the unshirkable duty of every military officer and soldier," they added.
The wanted notice is largely symbolic given that Taiwanese intelligence officers do not openly visit in the country and China's legal system has no jurisdiction on the island.
President Lai Ching-te pledged greater efforts to boost Taiwan's defence calling on China to renounce the use of force to seize the island. China reacted with anger, calling Lai a troublemaker and a "war-maker". In June, China issued a similar bounty for the arrest of 20 people Beijing said was Taiwanese military hackers. Taiwan dismissed threat, saying it would not be intimidated.
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