China may be rehearsing a digital siege, Taiwan warns

MUNICH, Germany – Speaking at the Munich Cyber Security Conference on Friday, Yuh-Jye Lee — a senior adviser at Taiwan’s National Security Council — delivered a stark warning about China’s intentions to use cyberspace in new and more aggressive ways.

“We assess operations [like Volt Typhoon] may serve as real-world testing to paralyze infrastructure,” Lee said during a keynote speech at the conference. “Taiwan being a honeypot has taught us defense is not enough.” 

Lee’s comments come on the heels of recently leaked technical documents that suggest China is stepping up its infrastructure hacking operations. 

According to files reviewed by Recorded Future News, the Chinese government allegedly has a secret cyber-training platform, known as “Expedition Cloud,” that aims to replicate the real power grids, transportation systems, and communications networks of countries Beijing considers potential adversaries. 

The idea is that teams can rehearse attacks on these digital replicas, refine tactics, and measure what works before any real-world operation begins. And Taiwan sits squarely in Beijing’s crosshairs. 

For Taiwan, that targeting is not abstract. It’s a part of daily life — involving phishing campaigns against ministries, intrusions into utilities, and attempts to map the digital terrain as carefully as any military would chart a coastline. And if the leaked documents are accurate, the next phase may not be about stealing secrets at all, but rehearsing disruption.

“Taiwan is one of the most targeted countries in the world,” Lee said. Which makes the island less like a victim — and more like a proving ground.