Taiwan Boosts Food and Cyber Measures Against Escalating Threats

Taiwan bolsters its food security and cyber defenses against potential Chinese threats, demonstrating resilience in the face of growing tensions.

At a Glance

Taiwan is preparing for possible Chinese blockades by detailing its wartime food strategy.
Monthly inventories are conducted to ensure sufficient storage of essential resources like rice.
Cybersecurity efforts are bolstered to protect against attacks from China’s cyber forces.
Plans include increasing farmland usage and potential rice rationing to manage food supplies.

Enhanced Food Security Measures

In anticipation of potential Chinese blockades, Taiwan is strengthening its food security measures. The government is implementing a comprehensive wartime food plan, conducting monthly inventories of essential supplies like rice. This ensures proper storage across the island, allowing Taiwan to be prepared for emergencies. With rice stockpiles sufficient for at least seven months, Taiwan is taking proactive steps to enhance self-sufficiency.

Efforts are underway to increase food production by utilizing more farmland for cultivating rice, sweet potatoes, soybeans, and fresh vegetables. Plans are also in place for rice rationing and supply stations in the event of a food crisis. The agriculture ministry reports a decline in Taiwan’s food self-sufficiency rate to 30.3% in 2023, marking the lowest level in 18 years.

Fortifying Cyber Defenses

The National Security Bureau highlights China’s intensified military activities near Taiwan, emphasizing its aim to establish blockades and control sea lines of communication. The cyber domain is not exempt from these tensions as China targets Taiwan’s online infrastructure.

“This underscores that the communist military has continued to escalate its military threat against Taiwan in an effort to establish a blockade and control of our external sea lines of communication,” the National Security Bureau reported.

Taiwan is investing in robust cybersecurity measures to counter these threats and safeguard its digital infrastructure. Navigating misinformation campaigns forms a crucial part of this strategy, with the involvement of China’s cyber forces, according to the National Security Bureau reports.