Chinese forces approached close to Taiwan coast to ‘intimidate’ voters before key elections: Sources

TAIPEI: Taiwan’s military drove away four attempts by Chinese forces to approach the island’s sensitive contiguous zone last month, Taiwan security officials said, in what they see as a ramped-up Chinese campaign to “intimidate” voters before key elections.

Taiwan officials have repeatedly warned that China is trying to sway voters toward candidates seeking closer ties with Beijing, whose government has framed the Jan 13 presidential and parliamentary elections as a choice between “peace and war” and urged the Taiwanese to make the “right choice”.

Taiwan has complained during the past four years of regular Chinese military incursions as Beijing increases pressure to try to force the democratically governed island to accept its sovereignty.

China has stepped up such missions before Taiwan’s election as campaigning has kicked into high gear, Taiwan security officials and Taipei-based diplomats say.

China’s air and naval forces staged four coordinated manoeuvres approaching Taiwan’s contiguous zone, which is 44km off its coast, in November, according to multiple Taiwan security officials who discussed the matter with reporters and an internal Taiwanese memo summing up the Chinese activities.

The Chinese military moves were part of a “multi-front campaign of voting interference”, the memo wrote, saying that it also included exchange activities with Taiwan politicians and spreading misinformation to sway public opinion.

The contiguous zone drills were “simulating an intrusion and testing the response of our national military”, said one of the officials, who requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter. Taiwan dispatched forces to drive the Chinese forces away, the source added.

China’s defence ministry and Taiwan Affairs Office did not respond to requests for comment. When commenting on the elections previously, the Taiwan Affairs Office has said it respects Taiwan’s “social systems”.

Chinese activities in November also included balloons that crossed the Taiwan Strait’s sensitive median line for two days in a row, as well as marine research ships approaching close to its contiguous zone off Taiwan’s eastern and western shores, the officials said.