Chinese Facebook Page Suspected of Collecting Taiwan Military Contacts for Infiltration
Taiwan's security agency says a Hong Kong-run Facebook page is likely gathering data on current and retired Taiwanese military officers, which is bad news for Taiwan's military security and a win for Chinese intelligence efforts if it goes unchecked.
- A page called "Dreaming of China," once focused on old Chiang family stories, suddenly pivoted to posting flattering profiles of named Taiwanese generals and military figures.
- Security officials traced the page's management entirely to Hong Kong and say its style matches a known content-farm network with ties to Chinese propaganda operations.
- The posts draw likes and comments from veterans and active service members, some of whom reveal their old units, ranks, or personal ties in the comments — exactly the kind of personal and network data that could be used to target people for recruitment or espionage.
- Some posts used AI-generated images and ran without the subjects' permission, and the page avoids outside links, relying instead on social media algorithms to reach military-connected users quietly.
- Officials note retired military personnel have long been a target for Chinese influence and espionage efforts, and some past spy cases involved exactly this kind of relationship-based approach.
Outlook: Taiwan's security agency is warning current and retired service members to avoid engaging with the page and to report similar suspicious accounts, as scrutiny of China-linked influence operations on Taiwanese social media is likely to increase.