Taiwan makes an institution out of combatting cognitive warfare

 Jan. 19, 2024

Taipei, Taiwan

After a hard-fought campaign in which Chinese cognitive warfare played a huge part Taiwan is inaugurating the Cognitive Warfare Research Center under the purview of the Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau.  The new center combines resources from three units of the MJIB that intersected during this election season: Information Security, Cross-Strait Research and Internal Security Investigations.  Three divisions will constitute the new center: data compilation and research, analysis of cognitive warfare targeting Taiwan, and a swift response unit to combat fake news.  That’s from the Taipei Times. 

The institutionalization of cognitive warfare response into a government office shows the depth of the problem emanating from China’s authoritarian system as well as Taiwan’s determination to stand with the democratic world against Chinese interference.  Not only has this become a campaign issue, but it has expanded into an overall societal concern.  The experience of Taiwan with Chinese cognitive warfare could be valuable to the world at large this year as many democracies are holding elections this year.  In a world where China’s power is growing, the Taiwanese experience can be a crucial voice on understanding the true behavior of China.  As a crucial outpost of democracy, Taiwan is showing its commitment to being a beacon of democracy and a staunch ally of the US and other democracies even in tough times.  That is why the institution of this cognitive warfare research center is so important showing as it does the commitment of the Taiwanese to the narrative of upholding freedom and democracy in Asia, and their desire to have a platform to express this aspect of their lived reality to the West.  The Western observer should expect that the Taiwanese will now develop a firm grasp on what is cognitive warfare and how to operate in a world where it continues to be a domain of conflict.