National Security Bureau Director-General Chen Ming-tong also became the center of attention at the Legislature as his itinerary to Thailand was made public on the internet. As Taiwan's top intelligence head, Chen said it is part of China's "cognitive war" and he blamed the cameras at Thailand's airport that are made in China for the information leak.
The media surrounded National Security Bureau Director-General Chen Ming-tong as he arrived at the legislature on Oct. 6 to deliver a report, asking questions about his involvement in the Lin Chih-chien thesis scandal and taking a trip to Thailand in July. Chen refused to answer questions from reporters, but he had to answer questions from legislators. He blamed China for leaking details of his Thailand trip through a website and described it as cognitive warfare. He also said this incident shows that Thailand has problems as well. Legislators remained unconvinced by his explanation, pointing out that it's humiliating for Taiwan that China was able to track the whereabouts of its top intelligence official. They demanded an internal investigation and a review of international intelligence exchange procedures.
Wu Sz-huai, Legislator (KMT): “Is China really that capable, that it was even able to obtain your hotel receipts? These are things that only internal units stationed abroad and internal operators have access to. If you don't investigate this thoroughly, the consequences will be severe.”
Chiu Chen-yuan, Legislator (TPP): “Is it true that Thailand's customs uses Huawei equipment? ”
Chen Ming-tong, NSB Director-General: “We saw some surveillance cameras, and basically they were all made by Huawei.”
Chen said it's frightening how powerful international hackers are, and they will be dealt with prudently. In September, former Political Warfare Bureau Director Chien Shih-wei led a delegation to Honolulu for an official visit. The itinerary was also leaked. Legislators expressed concerns about the effects on Taiwan and the U.S. sharing intelligence. Chen promised that this will never happen again.
Yang An, Director, Political Warfare Bureau, MND: “The preparations for the itinerary were also leaked. We set up a task force to investigate the work procedure. We also investigated who leaked the information and how.”
In August, China conducted military exercises that blockaded Taiwan. Do the two sides have a hotline? Chen would only say that Taiwan has information about the Chinese military. Chen had previously guaranteed that a war wouldn't break out between the two sides during Tsai Ing-wen's time as president. Legislators questioned the inconsistencies in Chen's statements.
Johnny Chiang, Legislator (KMT): “It's contradictory to say nothing will happen while Tsai Ing-wen is in office. It's possible something will occur in 2023, 2025, or 2027. You don't think they will attack and they will only conduct exercises? Is it possible that exercises will become real?”
Chen Ming-tong, NSB Director-General: “Nothing will happen. There won't be conflict. They're just trying to show their position.”
The New York Times reported that the U.S. is trying to turn Taiwan into a giant weapons depot. Under the proposed Taiwan Policy Act, US$6.5 billion in military aid will be provided to deter China. Chen said this shows the Biden administration values the Taiwan Relations Act and Six Assurances and he will follow developments closely.
被媒體團團包圍，國安局長陳明通深陷林智堅論文案以及7月泰國行程遭曝光，6日到立法院報告，面對媒體追問一律不回答，立委則高度關切，陳明通指出，這是中共認知作戰，利用臨時設立網站披露訊息，主要是泰方出問題，但立委不買單，認為陳明通身為台灣情報頭子，卻被中共掌握行蹤，鬧出國際笑話，要求盡速止血，進行內部清查，檢討國際交換情報程序。
國民黨立委吳斯懷指出：「老共有這麼厲害，連你飯店收據都有，這件事是只有內部駐外單位跟內部作業人才會碰得到的東西，這個你不清查會非常嚴重。」
民眾黨立委邱臣遠問道：「泰國海關使用的是華為設備，有沒有這個事項？」
陳明通回應：「我們了解確實他基本上，看到他那個監視器基本上都是華為的。」
陳明通表示，國際性網駭力量很可怕會審慎以待，不過，前政戰局長簡士偉9月率團赴美國檀香山參訪，行程同樣遭曝光，立委擔憂影響台美情報交流，對此陳明通承諾，這類事情不能再發生。
政戰局長楊安表示：「前置這個作業流，就已經洩漏出去，編了專案小組，針對這個有關於作業流還有那個對象，外流的管道以及對象，我們都做一個調查。」
中共8月發動圍台軍演，兩岸是否有熱線機制，陳明通僅說有掌握共軍情資，由於陳明通曾說蔡總統任內，兩岸不會有戰事發生，立委質問陳明通說法有出入。
國民黨立委江啟臣說道：「蔡英文執政不會有事，這是矛盾的喔，2023、2025、2027都有可能的話。」 陳明通回應：「不會有戰爭。」江啟臣說道：「你認為他不是要打，只是要演習，會不會演習到後來變成真的。」陳明通表示：「他展現那個態勢。」
針對紐約時報揭露，美方有意將台灣打造成龐大武器庫，包括台灣政策法案提供65億美元的軍援反制共軍威脅，陳明通回應，顯示拜登政府重視台灣關係法、六項保證等，會密切觀察。