For more than two decades, Taiwan’s flagship military television programme Juguang Garden offered a mix of educational equipment demonstrations and light-hearted skits.
The programme, which means “rejuvenation”, was designed to appeal to younger service members.
In the revamped version of the programme first aired last week, those lighter elements remained but the educational content carried a dark tone, replete with warnings about the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) growing threat and increasingly aggressive cognitive warfare tactics towards the island.
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One of the key missions of the updated programme, according to Taiwan’s defence ministry, is educating soldiers about how to identify and respond to cognitive warfare waged by Beijing against the self-ruled island.
“Cognitive warfare is quietly unfolding in our daily lives. When the Chinese communists attempt to confuse and mislead us with disinformation, our minds become their ‘battlefield’,” the ministry said.
It added that the programme overhaul was meant to bolster the resolve of Taiwan’s military personnel and deny the PLA any opportunity to exploit the island’s defence forces in this “unseen battle”.
Cognitive warfare is a form of psychological warfare that seeks to shape the thoughts, decisions, and behaviours of target populations.
According to the Taiwanese defence ministry, Beijing uses disinformation, military intimidation, and influence campaigns to undermine Taiwanese morale, erode public trust in governance, and promote the narrative that cross-strait unification is inevitable.
It said the tactics could include online rumours, AI-generated fake images, as well as manipulation of international public opinion and personal social networks.
“These tactics infiltrate every aspect of life,” it stated.
“With advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data, and social media, cognitive warfare has evolved beyond traditional propaganda,” the ministry noted, describing it as a “highly sophisticated technological offensive”.
It said adversaries could manipulate public opinion via algorithms and create highly deceptive fake images through virtual technology, enabling misinformation to penetrate further.
The ministry said the revamped programme aimed to equip Taiwan’s military personnel with the skills to “discern and interpret media information” and to recognise Beijing’s strategies. The cognitive warfare section would also be a regular feature of the show, it said.
A Taiwanese military source said that in recent years there had been a surge in espionage cases involving Taiwanese military personnel, ranging from junior officers to senior commanders.
“This highlights the systematic nature of [mainland] China’s infiltration of Taiwan’s military,” the source said on condition of anonymity.
That assessment was reflected in an analysis of infiltration tactics released on Sunday by Taiwan’s National Security Bureau, which highlighted Beijing’s use of retired Taiwanese military veterans to recruit active service members.
According to the bureau, the number of espionage-related charges in Taiwan rose from 16 in 2021 to 64 in 2024. Those targeted included military units, government agencies, and local organisations.
The bureau accused Beijing of using local criminal gangs, temples, religious groups, civic organisations, and retired military personnel to recruit active service members and establish infiltration networks.
These groups, the bureau said, were also tasked with spreading disinformation and waging cognitive warfare on the island.
Beijing considers Taiwan a part of China to be reunited by force if necessary. While most countries, including the United States, do not recognise Taiwan as an independent state, Washington opposes any attempt to seize the island by force and remains committed to supplying Taiwan with defensive weapons.
The revamped Juguang Garden also highlights the latest geopolitical developments and challenges facing the island, as well as the importance of building a resilient society as part of Taiwan’s defence strategy.
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