Earth Science News
TAIWAN NEWS
China says Taiwan 'hyping up' election interference claims
China says Taiwan 'hyping up' election interference claims
by AFP Staff Writers
Beijing (AFP) Dec 28, 2023

China's defence ministry on Thursday accused Taiwan's leadership of "hyping up" claims that Beijing is interfering in the self-ruled island's upcoming presidential election.

Taipei officials have repeatedly raised concerns about election interference and misinformation, and the January 13 vote comes during an escalating pressure campaign by Beijing, which claims the island as part of its territory.

But on Thursday Beijing said "the DPP authorities have been hyping up that China's mainland is interfering in its elections", using the initials of Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party.

Defence ministry spokesperson Wu Qian told a press conference Taipei was trying to "stoke confrontation and manipulate the election".

Several Chinese balloons have been detected moving across the sensitive median line separating Taiwan from China throughout December, Taipei has said.

Asked about the balloons on Thursday, Wu dismissed allegations of interference.

Taipei's claims, he said, were "all familiar pages from their old playbook" but "more and more people in Taiwan" saw through them.

His comments came the same day as a CNN report about popular Taiwanese band Mayday being pressured to make pro-China comments, citing Taipei security officials.

Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Councils -- which handles cross-strait issues -- accused Chinese authorities on Thursday of "forcing individuals from international cultural, performing arts and sports sectors... to express their political stance... in exchange for opportunities to perform or compete in China".

"This has been going on for many years," the council said in a statement.

"We believe that the band (Mayday) will not align with the (Chinese Communist Party) to let down the love and trust of Taiwanese youth."

One of the main themes in the lead-up to the closely watched election is how the presidential candidates will handle relations with China.

Both campaign offices for DPP's frontrunner candidate Lai Ching-te and opposition KMT's Hou Yu-ih condemned the alleged election interference on Thursday.

"China's election interference behaviours continue to become more obvious, and even artists and bands are not spared," said Lai's campaign spokesman.

Hou, whose KMT party has positioned itself as the one able to restart warmer relations with Beijing, has said Taiwan's January 13 vote is a choice "between war and peace".

Related Links
Taiwan News at SinoDaily.com

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
TAIWAN NEWS
Taiwan man charged over voter trips to China ahead of election
Taipei (AFP) Dec 26, 2023
A Taiwanese man has been charged with violating the island's election laws by arranging sponsored visits to China ahead of the January poll. In the first indictment of its kind, prosecutors in southern Kaohsiung city charged the man on Monday over organising trips to five Chinese provinces between May and October. Taiwanese officials have repeatedly raised concerns about election interference and misinformation, with the vote coming against the backdrop of an escalating pressure campaign by Beij ... read more

TAIWAN NEWS
Bangladesh's 'tiny houses' tackle giant flood challenge

'Helpless': Japan earthquake shatters New Year calm

Hundreds cut off after Japan quake that killed 78

Race against time after deadly Japan quake

TAIWAN NEWS
Studying Combustion and Fire Safety

Chile's state-owned mining giant forms lithium extraction alliance

NASA's Tech Demo Streams First Video From Deep Space via Laser

Mighty MURI brings the heat to test new longwave infrared radiometer

TAIWAN NEWS
Surf's up: Big waves pound US West Coast

In coastal communities, sea level rise may leave some isolated

Shrinking Caspian Sea worries secretive Turkmenistan

Breakthrough in hydrate-based desalination technique unveiled

TAIWAN NEWS
As the Arctic warms, its waters are emitting carbon

Antarctic octopus DNA reveals ice sheet collapse closer than thought

Third Pole's expanding glacial lakes pose greater flood risks, research reveals

Russia's isolation takes toll on Arctic climate science

TAIWAN NEWS
Lula vetos part of Brazil's controversial pesticide bill

High-nutritional crops needed in Africa as population increases

Chinese appetite for Australian barley is back

Electronic "soil" enhances crop growth

TAIWAN NEWS
Eurostar cancels trains due to flooded UK tunnels

Iceland's volcano eruption no longer visible: met office

Search dog finds elderly woman trapped after Japan quake, but hope fading fast

Thousands evacuated following Indonesia volcano eruption

TAIWAN NEWS
DR Congo's Tshisekedi wins second term in landslide victory

Tuareg separatists reject 'inter-Malian' peace dialogue

UN mission ends decade of deployment in Mali

Chad military leaders appoint former opponent PM

TAIWAN NEWS
Study reveals dietary adaptation of large herbivores to human impact in Anthropocene

North America's first people may have arrived by sea ice highway

To counter effect of facial biases in legal system, researchers suggest new training

Smoking shrinks brain, says study linking cigarettes to Alzheimer's, dementia

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.