Taiwan is tightening security ahead of its November 28 local elections and nuclear-power referendum, a defensive move aimed at China-linked meddling, bribery, and fake news.

• Premier Cho Jung-tai told prosecutors, police, and anti-corruption agencies to go hard after vote-buying and election violence.
• The bigger worry is outside interference: foreign influence operations, election betting rings, and false information aimed at swaying the result.
• Scam losses are down sharply since Taiwan set up its anti-fraud center two years ago, with fake-investment scams collapsing from hundreds of millions a day to a fraction of that.
• Online shopping scams are the new growth area, up sharply and hitting farmers and small businesses selling food and electronics.
• Ransomware attacks on tech, factories, hospitals, and hotels will now face tougher reporting rules, with companies forced to report major hacks.

Outlook: Expect heavier policing, more fraud prosecutions, and new cybersecurity reporting rules as the campaign heats up toward late November.