Taiwan hits back at China for ‘repeated interference’ in upcoming elections

Taiwan has condemned China for what it called intimidation of its citizenry and attempts to influence the island’s elections on Saturday.

Lai Ching-te, Taiwan's vice president and the governing Democratic Progressive Party's presidential candidate, in Kaohsiung, Taiwan December 22, 2023

Taiwan has condemned China for what it called intimidation of its citizenry and attempts to influence the island’s elections on Saturday.

On Thursday, Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Joseph Wu criticised China’s “repeated interference” in the upcoming polls, lambasting Beijing for “once again blatantly intimidating the Taiwanese people and the international community”.

The elections “are in the international spotlight & PRC’s repeated interference steals the focus. Frankly, Beijing should stop messing with other countries’ elections & hold their own,” he posted on X, using the acronym for China’s official name.

The statement was in response to China and Taiwan’s largest opposition party warning that Vice President and presidential hopeful Lai Ching-te, from the governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), would be a threat to peace in the region if he wins.

“I sincerely hope the majority of Taiwan compatriots recognise the extreme harm of the DPP’s ‘Taiwan independence’ line and the extreme danger of Lai Ching-te’s triggering of cross-Strait confrontation and conflict, and to make the right choice at the crossroads of cross-Strait relations,” said China’s Taiwan Affairs Office in a statement.

If elected, Lai would further promote separatist activities towards the “evil path” of independence, the statement said.