potential Chinese interference in Taiwanese elections 結果共4筆

Taiwan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Joseph Wu, has written a column for The Economist discussing Taiwan’s efforts to document and analyze potential Chinese interference in Taiwanese elections. The results of this research will be published after the election. Wu emphasizes the international impact of the Taiwanese election and the importance of addressing authoritarian interference in democratic nations and maintaining international order.

Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) presidential candidate Ko Wen-je clarifies his past remarks questioning the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) apparent favor towards his Kuomintang (KMT) rival, Hou Yu-ih, and small donations from Taiwanese businessmen in China to the KMT. Hou takes offense and accuses Ko and the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) presidential candidate, Lai Ching-te, of ＂smearing＂ tactics. Hou also opposes foreign interference in Taiwan’s elections. Hou accuses Ko and Lai of property-related irregularities, implying potential illicit behavior. Ko reiterates that he was only inquiring about the CCP’s regard for Hou and refuses to discuss the property issues raised by Hou.

Taiwanese presidential candidate Lai Ching-te of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has called on the Taiwanese people to use their votes as a defense against what he considers the most serious Chinese interference in the upcoming elections. Lai emphasized that while China has interfered in Taiwan’s elections before, the current situation is the worst. He believes that the best way to counter this interference is to ensure that the candidate supported by China does not win. Lai urged citizens to stand up against this interference by using their ballots to continue Taiwan’s progress and guarantee societal stability, economic growth, and the well-being of its people. He positioned the DPP’s battle not only against opposition parties but also against the Chinese Communist Party, underscoring the importance of maintaining a majority in the legislative yuan to prevent potential government functioning disputes. Lai kicked off his election campaign across 22 counties and cities, stating that this election is crucial for Taiwan’s future and Indo-Pacific peace stability. He encouraged the people to maintain the spirit of the past, choose the right person, and follow the right path.

The Ministry of National Defense (MND) has clarified that the presence of Chinese aerial balloons in Taiwanese airspace this year is not related to any election activities. The MND spokesperson, Major General Sun Li-fang, explained that the frequency of these balloons is due to the prevailing northeast monsoon winds from October through February. The MND views the increasing number of balloons as potential reconnaissance tools and will respond accordingly to their encroachment within 24 nautical miles of Taiwanese airspace. The MND maintains administrative neutrality regarding elections and is coordinating with national security teams to counter Chinese misinformation efforts. Any potentially misleading Chinese activities will be publicized by the MND to safeguard citizen morale.