TAIPEI • Mainland hackers were likely behind an attack on the website of Taiwan's ruling party, a US-based security firm said yesterday.

Cross-strait relations have grown increasingly frosty since Ms Tsai Ing-wen of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) won elections in January and took office as Taiwan's President last month, with Beijing wary that the new government may seek independence.

Taiwan has been self-ruling since the two sides split in 1949 after a civil war, but China still sees it as part of its territory.

The party's website came under attack in early April, redirecting visitors to a fake website, California-based FireEye said in a statement yesterday. The tactic is one often used by Chinese hackers, it said.

Administrators fixed the problem the next day, but the website was compromised again days later, suggesting it is being monitored, FireEye said.

The government has raised concerns that its websites frequently fall prey to Chinese hackers.

Taiwan's Ministry of Transportation and Communication said in a report to a legislative committee last month that the scale of cyber attacks on Taiwan is "near warfare" and that the most active hackers from the mainland had infiltrated the island's defence, air traffic and communication systems.

The defence ministry says it will establish a "cyber army", one of the policies put forward by Ms Tsai during her presidential campaign.

A "Fourth Service" should be formed along with the army, navy and air force to protect "national digital territory", according to the proposal.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE