Premier William Lai (賴清德) and lawmakers yesterday said that the Nov 24 nine-in-one elections are being undermined and national security is under threat, because of China’s spread of disinformation, financial support of certain candidates and sponsoring of television and radio programs, as well as cyberattacks.
Presiding over a cross-ministerial meeting at the Executive Yuan, Lai said that the judiciary has launched investigations into candidates suspected of receiving large amounts of money from Chinese sources, which contravenes the nation’s election laws.
“We have evidence to show there have been massive injections of money from outside Taiwan to influence the election outcome, along with the dissemination of disinformation through mass media and social media,” Lai said.
Photo: Lee Hsin-fang, Taipei Times
“Evidence also points to outside funding being given to criminal syndicates masquerading as political parties, so that they can destabilize our society by creating disturbances, and using violence and intimidation,” he said.
“Investigators have also found that some candidates are distributing cash or gifts to residents to buy their votes,” the premier said, adding that other serious cases are under investigation, but officials cannot divulge the details.
Justice ministry officials at the meeting said that investigators are looking into more than 30 cases where candidates are suspected of receiving money from outside Taiwan, some coming from Hong Kong, Macau and other countries, but most likely originating in China.
“We are seeing massive amounts of cash from abroad being sent to certain candidates to subsidize their campaign expenses,” Deputy Minister of Justice Chen Ming-tang (陳明堂) said. “The amount is much more than in past elections.”
Department of Prosecutorial Affairs head Wang Chun-li (王俊力) said that as of Monday there had been 2,361 reports of election irregularities and illegal conduct, with 4,737 persons under investigation, 1,780 cases of which involve allegations of vote-buying.
Meanwhile, it was confirmed by various lawmakers and National Security Bureau Director-General Peng Sheng-chu (彭勝竹) at a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee yesterday that Beijing and the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) were behind a propaganda campaign to interfere with Taiwan’s democratic elections.
In response to a question by Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Tsai Shih-ying (蔡適應), Peng said that the Chinese government and certain PLA units are using their resources and cyber capabilities to create disinformation and fake news, targeting Taiwan’s media outlets, radio and television programs, and Web sites.
Tsai said that China has updated its “united front” tactics by employing new Internet, computer and mobile networking technologies to wage an an “information war” against Taiwan.
“It is in preparation for their stated goal of subverting Taiwan’s 2020 national elections, with Taiwan’s government and ruling party in the hands of candidates who are supported by Beijing to implement policies for Taiwan’s unification with China,” Tsai said.
DPP Legislator Wang Ding-yu (王定宇) said that China has set up its fifth military branch, a “cyberforce” that has 100,000 staff, of which 30,000 are deployed as part of “cyberarmy units” that are specifically focused on launching attacks against computer and mobile networks, as well as gathering intelligence and spreading of disinformation to destabilize other countries.
Tsai, Wang and other DPP lawmakers went on to condemn the National Security Council, the judiciary and Taiwan’s other intelligence agencies for their lax attitude and “see nothing, do nothing” approach in the face of China’s real threat to national security and the elections.
DAREDEVIL: Honnold said it had always been a dream of his to climb Taipei 101, while a Netflix producer said the skyscraper was ‘a real icon of this country’ US climber Alex Honnold yesterday took on Taiwan’s tallest building, becoming the first person to scale Taipei 101 without a rope, harness or safety net. Hundreds of spectators gathered at the base of the 101-story skyscraper to watch Honnold, 40, embark on his daredevil feat, which was also broadcast live on Netflix. Dressed in a red T-shirt and yellow custom-made climbing shoes, Honnold swiftly moved up the southeast face of the glass and steel building. At one point, he stepped onto a platform midway up to wave down at fans and onlookers who were taking photos. People watching from inside
A Vietnamese migrant worker yesterday won NT$12 million (US$379,627) on a Lunar New Year scratch card in Kaohsiung as part of Taiwan Lottery Co’s (台灣彩券) “NT$12 Million Grand Fortune” (1200萬大吉利) game. The man was the first top-prize winner of the new game launched on Jan. 6 to mark the Lunar New Year. Three Vietnamese migrant workers visited a Taiwan Lottery shop on Xinyue Street in Kaohsiung’s Gangshan District (崗山), a store representative said. The player bought multiple tickets and, after winning nothing, held the final lottery ticket in one hand and rubbed the store’s statue of the Maitreya Buddha’s belly with the other,
‘COMMITTED TO DETERRENCE’: Washington would stand by its allies, but it can only help as much as countries help themselves, Raymond Greene said The US is committed to deterrence in the first island chain, but it should not bear the burden alone, as “freedom is not free,” American Institute in Taiwan Director Raymond Greene said in a speech at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research’s “Strengthening Resilience: Defense as the Engine of Development” seminar in Taipei yesterday. In the speech, titled “Investing Together and a Secure and Prosperous Future,” Greene highlighted the contributions of US President Donald Trump’s administration to Taiwan’s defense efforts, including the establishment of supply chains for drones and autonomous systems, offers of security assistance and the expansion of
STREAMLINED: The dedicated funding would allow the US to transfer equipment to Taiwan when needed and order upgraded replacements for stockpiles, a source said The US House of Representatives on Thursday passed a defense appropriations bill totaling US$838.7 billion, of which US$1 billion is to be allocated to reinforcing security cooperation with Taiwan and US$150 million to replace defense articles provided to the nation. These are part of the Consolidated Appropriation Act, which the US House yesterday passed with 341 votes in favor and 88 against. The act must be passed by the US Senate before Friday next week to avoid another government shutdown. The US House Committee on Appropriations on Monday unveiled the act, saying that it allocates US$1 billion for the Taiwan Security Cooperation Initiative
RSS