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MND denies PRC may
have stolen war game secrets
By Rich Chang / Staff reporter
The Ministry of National Defense (MND) yesterday rebutted media reports alleging
that Chinese spy ships had tried to collect information about
computer-stimulated exercises conducted by the military near Taiwanese waters
last week.
The computer scenario, which simulated an attack from China and was part of the
Han Kuang 28 series of military exercises, was held between Monday and Friday
last week.
The Chinese-language Apple Daily reported yesterday that the People¡¦s Liberation
Army Navy (PLAN) East Sea Fleet and South Sea Fleet had dispatched electronic
spy ships to collect information on the computer-assisted exercise. The vessels
remained in international waters off Taiwan¡¦s south and northeast coast, the
report added.
The report said the ministry initially thought this was regular activity, but
after a senior military official identified that the ships were spy craft trying
to collect information, he ordered the ministry¡¦s Communications Development
Office to monitor their activity, the report said, adding that the PLAN may have
succeeded in acquiring classified information in the process.
In a press statement, the ministry said it monitored all the activities of the
Chinese ships and aircraft near Taiwan¡¦s waters during the period in which the
computer-stimulated exercises took place, adding the claims by the Apple Daily
were ¡§baseless.¡¨
It added that the computer war games were staged using a closed, military
Internet system and that there was no way electronic information could have been
collected through airwaves.
This year¡¦s computer scenario included P-3C ¡§Orion¡¨ maritime patrol aircraft and
AH-64D Longbow attack helicopters, among other virtual platforms to review how
they would fare in a combat environment. The two arms systems are scheduled to
enter into service over the next year.
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