Using military threats, diplomatic pressure, fake news and financial inducements for politicians, China is being accused of deploying a broad strategy to influence voters in Taiwan’s elections to pick candidates who favor unification. WION tells you more in this report.

Taiwan Elections 2024: Taiwan accuses China of fake news and financial lures

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken raised concerns over human rights in&nbsp;China&nbsp;and urged “maintaining peace and stability” in the Taiwan Strait, during a meeting with senior Chinese official Liu Jianchao in Washington, said the State Department.&nbsp;

The meeting took place hours before (Washington time) Taiwan headed to presidential and parliamentary elections, on Saturday (Jan 13).&nbsp;

<h2>What did the officials discuss?</h2>

“The two sides had a constructive discussion on a range of bilateral, regional, and global issues, including areas of potential cooperation and areas of difference,” said State Department spokesman Matthew Miller, in a statement.&nbsp;

Washington and Beijing have held regular discussions recently to keep communication lines open between the world’s two largest economies.&nbsp;

The meeting is the latest in a flurry of engagements between the two nations following the summit between US President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in San Francisco, California.&nbsp;

WATCH |&nbsp;Taiwan Elections 2024: Polling underway in Taiwan to elect the new President

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/taiwan-elections-2024-polling-underway-in-taiwan-to-elect-the-new-president-679532/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

According to the state department, the two officials also discussed North Korea, the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the situation in the Red Sea and the Middle East.&nbsp;

<h2>Discussions about Taiwan</h2>

During the recent meeting, Washington’s top diplomat asked Beijing to maintain cross-strait stability as Taiwan headed to polls to choose a new president.&nbsp;

“The Secretary reiterated the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and in the South China Sea,” said Miller.&nbsp;

In recent weeks, China has ramped up pressure on the self-ruled island which Beijing has claimed as its own territory – a claim that Taiwan’s incumbent government has repeatedly rejected.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/from-spy-balloons-to-psychological-warfare-how-china-is-piling-pressure-on-taiwan-ahead-of-election-679264">Taiwan election: From 'spy' balloons to psychological warfare, China is piling on pressure</a>

The elections come amid Chinese balloons hovering over Taiwan and Xi’s New Year&nbsp;address&nbsp;calling&nbsp;China’s “reunification” with Taiwan inevitable.

The presidential frontrunner and Vice President from Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), Lai Ching-te, who&nbsp;supports Taiwan’s separate identity recently accused China of trying to undermine the election and said that it is engaging in “unprecedented” levels of interference.

However, US officials have reportedly said that they do not see Chinese statements and actions as out of the ordinary for a Taiwan election.

The United States has “deep confidence in Taiwan’s democratic process and believe it is for Taiwan voters to decide their next leader free from outside interference,” State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said Thursday (Jan 11).&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/taiwan-elections-2024-why-results-of-these-polls-are-crucial-for-global-economy-679479">Taiwan Elections 2024: Why results of these polls are crucial for global economy</a>

American support for Taiwan’s self-ruled status is especially strong in the US Congress, where the Senate on Thursday unanimously passed a resolution hailing the “example it (Taiwan) has set for self-governance, not just for the Pacific region, but for the world.”&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken raised concerns over human rights in China and urged “maintaining peace and stability” in the Taiwan Strait, during a meeting with senior Chinese official Liu Jianchao in Washington, said the State Department.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken raised concerns over human rights in China and urged “maintaining peace and stability” in the Taiwan Strait, during a meeting with senior Chinese official Liu Jianchao in Washington, said the State Department. The meeting took place hours before (Washington time) Taiwan headed to presidential and parliamentary elections, on Saturday (Jan 13). What did the officials discuss? “The two sides had a constructive discussion on a range of bilateral, regional, and global issues, including areas of potential cooperation and areas of difference,” said State Department spokesman Matthew Miller, in a statement. Washington and Beijing have held regular discussions recently to keep communication lines open between the world’s two largest economies. The meeting is the latest in a flurry of engagements between the two nations following the summit between US President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in San Francisco, California. WATCH | Taiwan Elections 2024: Polling underway in Taiwan to elect the new President According to the state department, the two officials also discussed North Korea, the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the situation in the Red Sea and the Middle East. Discussions about Taiwan During the recent meeting, Washington’s top diplomat asked Beijing to maintain cross-strait stability as Taiwan headed to polls to choose a new president. “The Secretary reiterated the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and in the South China Sea,” said Miller. In recent weeks, China has ramped up pressure on the self-ruled island which Beijing has claimed as its own territory – a claim that Taiwan’s incumbent government has repeatedly rejected. ALSO READ | Taiwan election: From 'spy' balloons to psychological warfare, China is piling on pressure The elections come amid Chinese balloons hovering over Taiwan and Xi’s New Year address calling China’s “reunification” with Taiwan inevitable. The presidential frontrunner and Vice President from Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), Lai Ching-te, who supports Taiwan’s separate identity recently accused China of trying to undermine the election and said that it is engaging in “unprecedented” levels of interference. However, US officials have reportedly said that they do not see Chinese statements and actions as out of the ordinary for a Taiwan election. The United States has “deep confidence in Taiwan’s democratic process and believe it is for Taiwan voters to decide their next leader free from outside interference,” State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said Thursday (Jan 11). ALSO READ | Taiwan Elections 2024: Why results of these polls are crucial for global economy American support for Taiwan’s self-ruled status is especially strong in the US Congress, where the Senate on Thursday unanimously passed a resolution hailing the “example it (Taiwan) has set for self-governance, not just for the Pacific region, but for the world.” (With inputs from agencies)

US' Blinken discusses human rights with Chinese official, urges Beijing to maintain cross-strait stability

Taiwan Elections 2024: Taiwan accuses China of military threats, fake news and financial users

Taiwan heads to the polls to choose its next leader in a high-stakes presidential election, polls opened at 8:00 AM local time at nearly 18,000 locations. Taiwan has slammed China for allegedly intimidating its citizens and attempting to influence the island's elections on Saturday. Taiwan's Foreign Minister Joseph Wu criticized China's "repeated interference" in the impending elections on Thursday, accusing Beijing of "once again blatantly intimidating the Taiwanese people and the international community".

Taiwan Elections 2024: Early trends show DPP candidate leading

Taiwan's high-stakes presidential election: Polls opened at 8:00 AM local time at nearly 18,000 locations. Polls closed at 4:00 PM local time at nearly 18,000 locations. Poll closely watched as China steps up its rhetoric over self-ruled island. Watch to know more!

Taiwan Presidential Election: Counting underway in Taiwan’s pivotal presidential election

Taiwan Presidential Election: Polls closed at nearly 18,000 locations, vote counting underway

Portraying Hou Yu-ih as Taiwan’s next leader has been an uphill battle for the Beijing-friendly KMT party. Will explains- Whether Hou Yu-Ih will be able to bring KMT back to power or not.

WION's Power Explainer: Will Hou Yu-ih bring KMT back to power?

Taiwan Elections 2024: All eyes on high-stakes election

With candidates in Taiwan gearing up for the key elections which are now just a day away, China has ramped up the pressure by literally looming over the self-governing island. This is in addition to the remarks from Chinese officials, including President Xi Jinping who in his New Year’s address called China’s <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/explained-taiwan-elections-2024-beyond-xi-jinpings-unification-threat-679049">“reunification”</a> with Taiwan inevitable.

Over the past few days, China has made several remarks going as far as warning voters in Taiwan to make the “right choice” which includes not supporting the current presidential frontrunner and candidate from the self-governing island’s ruling party, Lai Ching-te.&nbsp;

<h2>Chinese ‘spy’ balloons spotted over Taiwan</h2>

Since last month, the Taiwanese defence ministry has reported a spate of Chinese balloons not only flying over Taiwan but also crossing the narrow Taiwan Strait which separates the island from mainland China.&nbsp;

On Tuesday (Jan 9), Taiwan’s defence ministry said that it spotted four Chinese balloons over the Taiwan Strait the day prior, two of which crossed the Taiwan Strait.&nbsp;

This was the day after Taiwanese officials said they detected <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/taiwan-spots-more-chinese-balloons-over-strait-accuses-beijing-of-psychological-warfare-ahead-of-elections-677750">three Chinese balloons</a> flying over the Taiwan Strait on Sunday.&nbsp;

Amid the rise of such incidents, Taiwan accused China of threatening aviation safety and waging psychological warfare on the island’s people ahead of its presidential and parliamentary elections on Saturday (Jan 13).&nbsp;

However, the Taiwanese defence ministry has not directly said that the balloons are being used for spying. Officials have also said that so far they have not recovered any remains of the balloons and were not considering shooting them down, at least for now.&nbsp;

The possibility that China could be using balloons for spying became a global issue last February when the United States shot down what it said was a Chinese surveillance balloon. However, Beijing has since said that the balloon was a civilian craft that accidentally drifted astray.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-navy-says-seized-oil-tanker-off-oman-679038">Iran navy says seized oil tanker in Gulf of Oman</a>

China has long flexed its military muscle against Taiwan by sending fighter jets, reconnaissance drones and naval ships almost daily. In April 2023, China conducted three-day military drills on the Taiwan Strait and by the end of it, released&nbsp;a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chinese-military-releases-simulation-clip-of-how-it-will-attack-taiwan-if-war-breaks-out-watch-581302">simulation video</a> showing how it could launch a full-scale attack against the island if war ever breaks out.

Since December, the island’s defence ministry has been reporting at least 20 of mysterious balloons some of which have crossed the Taiwan Strait. These incidents prompted the Taiwanese ministry to issue a strongly worded statement on Saturday (Jan 6), condemning China’s actions.&nbsp;

“We also express our condemnation of the Chinese communists’ disregard for aviation safety and its disregard for the safety of passengers on cross-Taiwan Strait and international flights.”&nbsp;

The ministry said that its analysis of these actions was that the balloons were part of China’s “grey zone” tactics against Taiwan “in an attempt to use cognitive warfare to affect the morale of our people.”&nbsp;

Similarly, some experts believe that Beijing is trying to influence Taiwan’s elections by using these balloons. “They’re using various different tactics to threaten Taiwan and to put pressure on (President Tsai Ing-wen’s) administration,” Brian Hart, a fellow with the China Power Project told VOA.&nbsp;

Raymond Kuo, director of the RAND Corporation’s Taiwan Policy Initiative told AFP that the balloons’ military purpose is in line with “China’s gray zone coercion strategy towards Taiwan.” He added, “Beijing is signalling that it can violate Taiwanese airspace at will and challenge its sovereignty.”&nbsp;

Kuo also believes that China’s balloon tactic might backfire and these incidents could push Taiwan to form closer security relations with the United States and other countries in Asia.&nbsp;

Taiwan’s government also issued an air raid alert on Tuesday (Jan 9), saying a Chinese rocket carrying a satellite had flown over its southern airspace. Taiwan’s foreign minister described the incident as part of a pattern of harassment before the elections.

<h2>‘War and peace’</h2>

China has not only used its balloons in a bid to potentially influence the Taiwanese elections but also <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/taiwan-election-pro-china-disinformation-targets-voters-with-deepfakes-and-manipulative-videos-678779">disinformation</a> and words to sway the voters. While Xi struck a stronger tone than he did last year with his New Year’s address, calling Taiwan’s “reunification” with China, he did not mention the elections.&nbsp;

However, Zhang Zhijun, head of China’s Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait, a quasi-official body that handles ties with Taiwan, during his New Year’s address said the Taiwanese people had an important choice to make during the upcoming election.

“The two elections coming up in the Taiwan region are important choices between the prospects for peace and war, prosperity and decline,” said the senior Chinese official.&nbsp;

He added, “Taiwan compatriots must stand on the right side of history, and make a correct choice to promote cross-strait relations back to the right track of peaceful development.”&nbsp;

WATCH |&nbsp;Taiwan Presidential elections: China warns voters to make correct choice in elections

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/taiwan-presidential-elections-china-warns-voters-to-make-correct-choice-in-elections-679193/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Both China and the US are closely watching the elections since the result is expected to impact the future of Taiwan’s relations with Beijing.&nbsp;But China has reportedly been more involved.&nbsp;

Some experts and Taiwanese authorities have said that the election campaign has been hit by a wave of disinformation and TikTok videos, which are particularly aimed at candidates China opposes.

While China has not explicitly supported any candidate, Beijing and Taiwan’s largest opposition party, &nbsp;the Kuomintang (KMT), have warned that Lai poses a “severe danger” to cross-Strait relations.

ALSO WATCH |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-china-using-ai-anchors-to-influence-taiwan-elections-679111">Gravitas: China using AI anchors to influence Taiwan Elections</a>

“I sincerely hope the majority of Taiwan compatriots recognize the extreme harm of the DPP’s (Democratic Progressive Party) ‘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.&nbsp;

It added, “If he comes to power, he will further push for ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist activities (and create) turbulence in the Taiwan Strait.”&nbsp;

A report by AFP detailed how one Chinese hashtag criticising Lai received over 8.5 million views. The report added that replies to such posts and videos criticising the DPP were filled with derogatory remarks and conspiracy theories. &nbsp;

On Thursday (Jan 11), Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Joseph Wu criticised China’s “repeated interference” in the upcoming elections and slammed Beijing for “once again blatantly intimidating the Taiwanese people and the international community”.

It added, “Taiwan’s elections are in the international spotlight &amp; PRC’s repeated interference steals the focus. Frankly, Beijing should stop messing with other countries’ elections &amp; hold their own. Let the #Chinese people freely choose their leaders.”

According to experts, the flow of disinformation demonstrates a Beijing-linked effort to undermine any lawmakers who oppose Taiwan’s status as a part of China. &nbsp;

The incumbent Vice President Lai, recently accused China of trying to undermine the election and said that it is engaging in “unprecedented” levels of interference.

“In addition to political and military pressure, it is also using economic means, cognitive warfare, disinformation, threats and incentives,” he told reporters, on Tuesday (Jan 9). “It has resorted to all means to interfere with this election.”

<h2>Meanwhile in Taiwan…</h2>

Recent opinion polls show most Taiwanese support Lai while the rest are split between KMT’s Hou Yu-ih and Ko Wen-je of the Taiwan People’s Party. It is safe to say that Beijing is not happy, as it wants the ruling DPP, which China has labelled as separatists, to be voted out.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/taiwan-election-is-a-choice-for-democracy-or-china-frontrunner-says-661272">Taiwan election is a choice for democracy or China, frontrunner says</a>

In his recent speeches, Lai has asked people not to be swayed by China’s threats while offering talks with Beijing and pledging not to upset the status quo. “Taiwan stands on the front line of the confrontation between democracy and totalitarianism,” said Lai about the upcoming elections.&nbsp;

His supporters have also indicated that they <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/explained-how-people-in-beijing-and-taipei-have-reacted-to-chinas-military-drills-580445">will not be swayed</a>. “China often tries to intimidate Taiwan, but we Taiwanese are not easily frightened,” said a woman surnamed Zheng, as quoted by AFP.&nbsp;

She added that “less clear-headed people might get scared and vote for unprincipled politicians”.

The DDP has long rejected Beijing’s sovereignty claims, saying that Taiwan’s future should be decided by its people, while KMT argues that both Taipei and Beijing belong to one single China.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
The ruling party has portrayed the KMT and its presidential candidate, Hou as being pro-Beijing. He has since rejected the allegation that he is “pro-China and a sell-out of Taiwan.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

With candidates in Taiwan gearing up for the key elections which are now just a day away, China has ramped up the pressure by literally looming over the self-governing island.

With candidates in Taiwan gearing up for the key elections which are now just a day away, China has ramped up the pressure by literally looming over the self-governing island. This is in addition to the remarks from Chinese officials, including President Xi Jinping who in his New Year’s address called China’s “reunification” with Taiwan inevitable. Over the past few days, China has made several remarks going as far as warning voters in Taiwan to make the “right choice” which includes not supporting the current presidential frontrunner and candidate from the self-governing island’s ruling party, Lai Ching-te. Chinese ‘spy’ balloons spotted over Taiwan Since last month, the Taiwanese defence ministry has reported a spate of Chinese balloons not only flying over Taiwan but also crossing the narrow Taiwan Strait which separates the island from mainland China. On Tuesday (Jan 9), Taiwan’s defence ministry said that it spotted four Chinese balloons over the Taiwan Strait the day prior, two of which crossed the Taiwan Strait. This was the day after Taiwanese officials said they detected three Chinese balloons flying over the Taiwan Strait on Sunday. Amid the rise of such incidents, Taiwan accused China of threatening aviation safety and waging psychological warfare on the island’s people ahead of its presidential and parliamentary elections on Saturday (Jan 13). However, the Taiwanese defence ministry has not directly said that the balloons are being used for spying. Officials have also said that so far they have not recovered any remains of the balloons and were not considering shooting them down, at least for now. The possibility that China could be using balloons for spying became a global issue last February when the United States shot down what it said was a Chinese surveillance balloon. However, Beijing has since said that the balloon was a civilian craft that accidentally drifted astray. ALSO READ | Iran navy says seized oil tanker in Gulf of Oman China has long flexed its military muscle against Taiwan by sending fighter jets, reconnaissance drones and naval ships almost daily. In April 2023, China conducted three-day military drills on the Taiwan Strait and by the end of it, released a simulation video showing how it could launch a full-scale attack against the island if war ever breaks out. Since December, the island’s defence ministry has been reporting at least 20 of mysterious balloons some of which have crossed the Taiwan Strait. These incidents prompted the Taiwanese ministry to issue a strongly worded statement on Saturday (Jan 6), condemning China’s actions. “We also express our condemnation of the Chinese communists’ disregard for aviation safety and its disregard for the safety of passengers on cross-Taiwan Strait and international flights.” The ministry said that its analysis of these actions was that the balloons were part of China’s “grey zone” tactics against Taiwan “in an attempt to use cognitive warfare to affect the morale of our people.” Similarly, some experts believe that Beijing is trying to influence Taiwan’s elections by using these balloons. “They’re using various different tactics to threaten Taiwan and to put pressure on (President Tsai Ing-wen’s) administration,” Brian Hart, a fellow with the China Power Project told VOA. Raymond Kuo, director of the RAND Corporation’s Taiwan Policy Initiative told AFP that the balloons’ military purpose is in line with “China’s gray zone coercion strategy towards Taiwan.” He added, “Beijing is signalling that it can violate Taiwanese airspace at will and challenge its sovereignty.” Kuo also believes that China’s balloon tactic might backfire and these incidents could push Taiwan to form closer security relations with the United States and other countries in Asia. Taiwan’s government also issued an air raid alert on Tuesday (Jan 9), saying a Chinese rocket carrying a satellite had flown over its southern airspace. Taiwan’s foreign minister described the incident as part of a pattern of harassment before the elections. ‘War and peace’ China has not only used its balloons in a bid to potentially influence the Taiwanese elections but also disinformation and words to sway the voters. While Xi struck a stronger tone than he did last year with his New Year’s address, calling Taiwan’s “reunification” with China, he did not mention the elections. However, Zhang Zhijun, head of China’s Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait, a quasi-official body that handles ties with Taiwan, during his New Year’s address said the Taiwanese people had an important choice to make during the upcoming election. “The two elections coming up in the Taiwan region are important choices between the prospects for peace and war, prosperity and decline,” said the senior Chinese official. He added, “Taiwan compatriots must stand on the right side of history, and make a correct choice to promote cross-strait relations back to the right track of peaceful development.” WATCH | Taiwan Presidential elections: China warns voters to make correct choice in elections Both China and the US are closely watching the elections since the result is expected to impact the future of Taiwan’s relations with Beijing. But China has reportedly been more involved. Some experts and Taiwanese authorities have said that the election campaign has been hit by a wave of disinformation and TikTok videos, which are particularly aimed at candidates China opposes. While China has not explicitly supported any candidate, Beijing and Taiwan’s largest opposition party, the Kuomintang (KMT), have warned that Lai poses a “severe danger” to cross-Strait relations. ALSO WATCH | Gravitas: China using AI anchors to influence Taiwan Elections “I sincerely hope the majority of Taiwan compatriots recognize the extreme harm of the DPP’s (Democratic Progressive Party) ‘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. It added, “If he comes to power, he will further push for ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist activities (and create) turbulence in the Taiwan Strait.” A report by AFP detailed how one Chinese hashtag criticising Lai received over 8.5 million views. The report added that replies to such posts and videos criticising the DPP were filled with derogatory remarks and conspiracy theories. On Thursday (Jan 11), Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Joseph Wu criticised China’s “repeated interference” in the upcoming elections and slammed Beijing for “once again blatantly intimidating the Taiwanese people and the international community”. It added, “Taiwan’s 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. Let the #Chinese people freely choose their leaders.” According to experts, the flow of disinformation demonstrates a Beijing-linked effort to undermine any lawmakers who oppose Taiwan’s status as a part of China. The incumbent Vice President Lai, recently accused China of trying to undermine the election and said that it is engaging in “unprecedented” levels of interference. “In addition to political and military pressure, it is also using economic means, cognitive warfare, disinformation, threats and incentives,” he told reporters, on Tuesday (Jan 9). “It has resorted to all means to interfere with this election.” Meanwhile in Taiwan… Recent opinion polls show most Taiwanese support Lai while the rest are split between KMT’s Hou Yu-ih and Ko Wen-je of the Taiwan People’s Party. It is safe to say that Beijing is not happy, as it wants the ruling DPP, which China has labelled as separatists, to be voted out. ALSO READ | Taiwan election is a choice for democracy or China, frontrunner says In his recent speeches, Lai has asked people not to be swayed by China’s threats while offering talks with Beijing and pledging not to upset the status quo. “Taiwan stands on the front line of the confrontation between democracy and totalitarianism,” said Lai about the upcoming elections. His supporters have also indicated that they will not be swayed. “China often tries to intimidate Taiwan, but we Taiwanese are not easily frightened,” said a woman surnamed Zheng, as quoted by AFP. She added that “less clear-headed people might get scared and vote for unprincipled politicians”. The DDP has long rejected Beijing’s sovereignty claims, saying that Taiwan’s future should be decided by its people, while KMT argues that both Taipei and Beijing belong to one single China. The ruling party has portrayed the KMT and its presidential candidate, Hou as being pro-Beijing. He has since rejected the allegation that he is “pro-China and a sell-out of Taiwan.” (With inputs from agencies)

Taiwan election: From 'spy' balloons to psychological warfare, China is piling on pressure

Will Taiwan's election results trigger a war? Reports say, China has been preparing for a ground invasion if the election results are not in its favour. Molly Gambhir brings you a report.

Gravitas | Will Taiwan Election results trigger a war in Asia?

Taiwan has slammed China for allegedly intimidating its citizens and attempting to influence the island's elections on Saturday. Taiwan's Foreign Minister Joseph Wu criticized China's "repeated interference" in the impending elections on Thursday, accusing Beijing of "once again blatantly intimidating the Taiwanese people and the international community".

Taiwan Presidential Election: Candidates make final appeals

Just a couple of days before the people of Taiwan cast their vote, China has strongly opposed any official exchanges between the US and Taiwan. This comes after the Biden administration announced- it will send an unofficial delegation to Taiwan shortly after the election.

Taiwan Presidential elections: China warns voters to make correct choice in elections

China warns against any form of US-Taiwan exchange

Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday launched impeachment proceedings against Biden top immigration official. The unusual move comes as a bipartisan group of senators negotiate a massive deal that would rework immigration laws in exchange for votes authorizing more aid to Ukraine and Israel. A possible Chinese attempt to take over self-governing Taiwan has been a threat to the island for decades. It’s a topic among the candidates in Taiwan’s upcoming presidential election, but some residents on the island say the threat of a Chinese attack is more real than ever before and they are taking action.

Washington has warned Beijing against meddling in the Taiwan elections

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Taiwan election: What it means for US-China relations & all you need to know about elections

Taiwan Presidential Election: China calls Taiwanese Presidential candidate as a 'severe danger'

China recently said it will "never compromise" on the issue of Taiwan, in its first military talks with the US since 2021.

China piles pressure on Taiwan ahead of polls, voters unclear if KMT govt would appease China | WION

China is relying on a new tactic to influence elections in Taiwan. It is using AI tools to change the course of the elections & manipulate public opinion. Molly Gambhir reports.

Gravitas: China using AI anchors to influence Taiwan Elections

The island of Taiwan has cited an optic in malicious activity in the lead up to its 13th January election. The taiwan's Doomsday scenario includes not just an invasion by the Chinese troops but also a wave of attacks against its cyber infrastructure the complete breakdown in critical infrastructure is what a D-Day would look like.

Taiwan's D-Day plans against Chinese invasion

As many as 19.3 million voters in Taiwan will elect a new president on January 13th. Their vote could act as a major flashpoint in the global tussle for power. But why are these polls in the tiny island so significant for the world?

WION power explainer | Global implications of Taiwan election

On WION'S power poll, over 70% of respondents believe that independence from china will be the primary issue for Taiwanese voters on January 13.

WION power poll | Is independence from china the top voter issue in Taiwan’s election?

China military tells US it will 'never compromise' on issue of Taiwan

Taiwan's Defence Ministry issued an alert Tuesday saying China has launched a satellite and urging caution days before the elections. Taiwan holds presidential and parliamentary elections Saturday (Jan. 13) that China has described as a choice between war and peace.

Taiwan Presidential polls 2024: Days before polls, Chinese balloons spotted over island

China has vowed that it will 'never compromise' on Taiwan, just three days ahead of a crucial election on the self-ruled island. The closely watched polls will impact the future of Taiwan's independence, and China is being accused of attempting to influence voters to pick candidates who favour reunification.

Taiwan accuses china of military threats and financial lures ahead of polls

Hou Yu-Ih is the candidate for Taiwan's main opposition party, the Kuomintang (KMT), whose government fled to the island in 1949 after losing the Chinese civil war. The KMT traditionally favours closer ties with china but strongly denies being pro-Beijing.

WION power explainer | Taiwan's main opposition party: The Kuomintang

Taiwan's defence ministry issued an alert Tuesday saying China has launched a satellite and urging caution days before the elections. Taiwan holds presidential and parliamentary elections Saturday (Jan. 13) that China has described as a choice between war and peace.

Taiwan's Defence Ministry issues air raid alert ahead of polls

Taiwan elections: China calls Taiwan polls 'its internal matter' | Chinese balloons over island

Taiwan Polls 2024: Defence Ministry issues alert after Chinese balloons spotted over Island

Taiwan Elections 2024: China balloons fly over Island days before polls

As Taiwan enters election week, Beijing's aggressive actions have multiplied. Fighter jets, reconnaissance drones and naval ships have reportedly been spotted around the island. Since December, more than 20 balloons have crossed the median line separating China from Taiwan.

Taiwan Presidential elections: Taiwan all set to go to polls on January 13 | WION Newspoint

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