The Chinese Communist Party (CCP), in order to realize its ambitions of military aggression towards Taiwan and on a global scale, has been vigorously developing its military capabilities. The newly established Information Support Force is benchmarking against the U.S. military, aiming to achieve modernized joint combat capabilities similar to the U.S. However, there are many factors hindering CCP’s ability to reach its objectives, making the question of whether it can possess actual combat capabilities and win wars in the future still uncertain.
On April 19th of this year, the CCP suddenly divided the Strategic Support Force established in 2015 into three separate units (Military Space Force, Network Space Force, Information Support Force), downgrading the original fifth military branch into three major independent branches.
In 2015, the CCP’s military reform incorporated various systems such as Network Warfare, Information Warfare, Electronic Warfare, Intelligence Systems, and Space Warfare systems into the Strategic Support Force, leading to organizational and command chaos as well as corruption.
According to the explanation from the Chinese Ministry of National Defense, the mission of the Information Support Force is to “coordinate the construction of network information systems,” echoing the call from the 20th CCP Congress report for “coordinated construction and utilization of network information systems to enhance joint combat capabilities based on network information systems, as well as all-domain combat capabilities.”
Essentially, it aims to establish a unified network information infrastructure platform to break down the technical barriers between military services, departments, and industries.
Military expert and Deputy Researcher at the Taiwan Foundation for National Policy Research, Jie Zhong, told Epoch Times that in the CCP’s discourse on military aggression towards Taiwan, there is mention of joint information warfare. During military aggression towards Taiwan, as the CCP’s navy and air force are far from the Chinese mainland, secure communication is needed to exchange real-time intelligence.
“Therefore, when it needs to conduct a regional joint operation around Taiwan, the information system becomes the most crucial infrastructure. Without this infrastructure, modernized joint combat cannot be executed.”
Researcher and Director of the Taiwan Institute for National Defense and Security Studies, Shen Ming-shi, told Epoch Times that information warfare has three dimensions: using information systems for offensive and defensive operations such as cyber warfare, hacker warfare, etc.; integrating information systems into combat or weapon systems to transform traditional mechanized warfare into digital warfare for higher joint operational efficiency; and using information itself for offense and defense, somewhat akin to psychological warfare.
He indicated that the CCP is currently weaker in terms of integrating information technology, digitalizing warfare, and enhancing joint operational efficiency.