The government believes China is set to renew a charm offensive targeting “opinion leaders” to win hearts and minds as Taiwan gears up for a presidential election in less than a year, a security agency said in an internal report.
China has long taken a carrot-and-stick approach to Taiwan, threatening it with the prospect of military action while reaching out to Taiwanese it believes are amenable to Beijing’s point of view.
As Taipei and Beijing gradually resume travel links halted by the COVID-19 pandemic, Taiwanese security officials expect China to relaunch an “united front” push that in the past included all-expenses-paid trips to China for Taiwanese politicians.
Photo: REUTERS
From this month, the campaign would focus on invitations for “opinion leaders” to visit China, a security agency looking into Chinese activities in Taiwan said in the classified report, a copy of which was reviewed by Reuters.
“The Chinese Communist Party is developing its exchange programs with Taiwan for the year. Various Taiwan-related agencies will gradually resume their invitations to Taiwan people on all levels to visit the mainland,” the agency said a report released last month, citing intelligence information.
With the presidential election due in January next year, officials worry that Beijing could try to stir animosity toward the government of President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文).
China, which has never renounced the use of force, has over the past few years ramped up pressure on Taiwan, including staging regular military exercises near its coasts.
Beijing is expected to try to use its campaign to sway the public to support political parties that are more open to “unification,” or at least to building closer ties.
“They might want Taiwanese to support certain political parties who support closer economic ties with the mainland,” a security official investigating the matter told Reuters.
The official, who declined to be identified, said China could invite a range of people beyond political and business leaders in the hope of quietly promoting its political ideology.
“The exchange programs may come in the name of sports, culture or commerce, but what we are worried about is what’s being said privately,” the official said.
The report did not single out an individuals or parties that the government believes could be targeted in the campaign, but Beijing has long-standing contacts with the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), which traditionally favors close ties with China, but strongly denies being pro-Beijing.
KMT Vice Chairman Andrew Hsia (夏立言) visited Beijing last month for meetings with top Chinese officials, a trip the KMT said would “effectively de-escalate tensions” and improve communications.
Also last month, a group of Chinese officials made their first visit to Taiwan in three years to attend a cultural event in Taipei.
Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) of the KMT welcomed them.
The KMT said the government had approved the officials’ visit and had been calling for efforts to “break the ice” with Beijing.
The KMT also rejected any notion that the opposition was the target of China’s effort.
“Why only say that this is Beijing’s unilateral ‘charm offensive’ targeting opposition parties?” the KMT said in a statement to Reuters. “Even the United States encourages exchanges across the Taiwan Strait and peaceful dialogue.”
It said that Tsai’s Democratic Progressive Party had failed to take the initiative to reduce tension and improve communication, leaving it to the KMT to do so.
Security agencies are closely monitoring Chinese groups in Taiwan, including China’s quasi-governmental organizations responsible for issues from trade to tourism, as well as Chinese students, the report said.
A second senior security official said Taiwan should be “on high alert” for efforts by China to press its message on unification.
“They are looking for a window of opportunity to bypass the Taiwan authorities,” the official said.
A preclearance service to facilitate entry for people traveling to select airports in Japan would be available from Thursday next week to Feb. 25 at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, Taoyuan International Airport Corp (TIAC) said on Tuesday. The service was first made available to Taiwanese travelers throughout the winter vacation of 2024 and during the Lunar New Year holiday. In addition to flights to the Japanese cities of Hakodate, Asahikawa, Akita, Sendai, Niigata, Okayama, Takamatsu, Kumamoto and Kagoshima, the service would be available to travelers to Kobe and Oita. The service can be accessed by passengers of 15 flight routes operated by
Chinese spouse and influencer Guan Guan’s (關關) residency permit has been revoked for repeatedly posting pro-China videos that threaten national security, the National Immigration Agency confirmed today. Guan Guan has said many controversial statements in her videos posted to Douyin (抖音), including “the red flag will soon be painted all over Taiwan” and “Taiwan is an inseparable part of China,” and expressing hope for expedited reunification. The agency last year received multiple reports alleging that Guan Guan had advocated for armed reunification. After verifying the reports, the agency last month issued a notice requiring her to appear and explain her actions. Guan
GIVE AND TAKE: Blood demand continues to rise each year, while fewer young donors are available due to the nation’s falling birthrate, a doctor said Blood donors can redeem points earned from donations to obtain limited edition Formosan black bear travel mugs, the Kaohsiung Blood Center said yesterday, as it announced a goal of stocking 20,000 units of blood prior to the Lunar New Year. The last month of the lunar year is National Blood Donation Month, when local centers seek to stockpile blood for use during the Lunar New Year holiday. The blood demand in southern Taiwan — including Tainan and Kaohsiung, as well as Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Taitung counties — is about 2,000 units per day, the center said. The donation campaign aims to boost
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) said a magnitude 4.9 earthquake that struck off the coast of eastern Taiwan yesterday was an independent event and part of a stress-adjustment process. The earthquake occurred at 4:47pm, with its epicenter at sea about 45.4km south of Yilan County Hall at a depth of 5.9km, the CWA said. The quake's intensity, which gauges the actual effects of a temblor, was highest in several townships in Yilan and neighboring Hualien County, where it measured 4 on Taiwan's seven-tier intensity scale, the CWA said. Lin Po-yu (林柏佑), a division chief at the CWA's Seismological Center, told a news conference
RSS