Already a subscriber? Make sure to log into your account before viewing this content. You can access your account by hitting the “login” button on the top right corner. Still unable to see the content after signing in? Make sure your card on file is up-to-date.

The Chinese government has reportedly issued bounties for 18 Taiwanese military officers accused of conducting “psychological” warfare against mainland China.

Some shit you should know before you dig in: For years, China has upped its rhetoric on reunifying with Taiwan, vowing to bring the self-governed island under its control by any means necessary (including force). China considers Taiwan a breakaway province and has repeatedly warned that military action remains on the table if peaceful reunification efforts fail. In response, Taiwan has rejected China’s claims and spent billions of dollars to modernize and strengthen its military, including investments in missile defense systems, naval capabilities, and advanced surveillance technologies.Meanwhile, China has intensified its military pressure, conducting large-scale exercises simulating invasions and amphibious assaults near the Taiwan Strait. Chinese President Xi Jinping has also ordered his military to be prepared for a possible invasion of Taiwan by 2027.

What’s going on now: In a notable development, China’s Public Security Bureau in the coastal city of Xiamen has issued public bounties for 18 individuals it claims are members of Taiwan’s military “psychological warfare” unit. The officers are accused of engaging in a wide range of activities aimed at promoting Taiwanese independence and undermining the Chinese Communist Party. According to the notice, these alleged operatives have launched “smear” websites, developed seditious video games, produced “fake and misleading” video content, operated illegal radio broadcasts for infiltration purposes, and collaborated with “external forces” to manipulate public opinion on the mainland. China says the ultimate goal of these efforts is to incite secession and destabilize the unity of the Chinese state.

The bounty notice included the names, ID numbers, and photos of all 18 individuals and offered up to 10,000 yuan (approximately $1,400) for tips leading to their arrest. State-run media amplified the accusations, framing the officers as “dangerous” agents of separatism waging an information war against the Chinese people.

Taiwan condemned the bounty as a propaganda effort. The Ministry of National Defence rejected the accusations as baseless and characterized the move as a textbook example of China’s “cognitive warfare,” designed to intimidate, divide the population, and discredit the government.