Beijing has sponsored cut-price trips to China for hundreds of Taiwanese politicians ahead of key elections, according to Taiwan sources and documents, unnerving officials with a broad campaign that one called “election interference.”
Taiwanese law forbids election campaigns from receiving money from “external hostile forces,” and prosecutors in southern Taiwan this week said they were investigating 22 people, including grassroots politicians, for potential violations of election and security laws.
Across Taiwan, security agencies are looking into more than 400 visits to China in the past month, most led by local opinion leaders such as borough wardens and village wardens, a Taiwan security official looking into China’s activities told Reuters.
The agencies believe the trips, with discounted accommodation, transportation and meals, were subsidized by units under China’s Taiwan Affairs Office.
Asked for comment, Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council referred Reuters to comments this week by minister, Chiu Tai-san (邱太三). Chiu said it was “self-evident” Beijing was trying to sway Taiwan’s elections, including through means of free trips for politicians.
“They have already made it clear that a so-called ‘right choice’ has to be made, meaning choosing candidates that the Chinese Communist Party prefers,” he told reporters without elaborating.
“Election interference has started under the name of group tours,” said a second Taiwan security official, who was briefed on the matter, adding that Beijing was targeting politicians crucial to Taiwanese administrative systems who play key roles in shaping public opinion.
More than 300 borough wardens or village wardens from central Taiwan alone have participated in such trips to China in the past few months, this person said.
More than 20 borough wardens from a district in Taipei joined a China-sponsored trip to Shanghai with their families in September, while more than 10 people from an association for local politicians in neighboring New Taipei City joined a trip this week, according to two security reports reviewed by Reuters.
The number from the Taipei district has “increased significantly” compared with elections four years ago and registrations have been “fairly enthusiastic”, one report said. “Certain borough wardens have become the window of contacts in Taiwan for some Chinese units.”
So far this year, more than 1,000 borough wardens or village wardens joined such trips, more than last time, the second official said, adding that China was targeting electoral districts where support was strong for candidates campaigning for closer China ties.
“There is no such thing as a free lunch,” Prosecutor-General Hsing Tai-chao (邢泰釗) said on Thursday.
He said external forces were trying to influence citizens in an “unprecedented fashion” and urged Taiwanese not to accept perks or instructions from Chinese authorities when travelling there.
Taiwan has received more than US$70 million in royalties as of the end of last year from developing the F-16V jet as countries worldwide purchase or upgrade to this popular model, government and military officials said on Saturday. Taiwan funded the development of the F-16V jet and ended up the sole investor as other countries withdrew from the program. Now the F-16V is increasingly popular and countries must pay Taiwan a percentage in royalties when they purchase new F-16V aircraft or upgrade older F-16 models. The next five years are expected to be the peak for these royalties, with Taiwan potentially earning
POSITIVE DEVELOPMENT: Japan and the US are expected to hold in-depth discussions on Taiwan-related issues during the meeting next month, Japanese sources said The holding of a Japan-US leaders’ meeting ahead of US President Donald Trump’s visit to China is positive news for Taiwan, former Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association representative Hiroyasu Izumi said yesterday. After the Liberal Democratic Party’s landslide victory in Japan’s House of Representatives election, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is scheduled to visit the US next month, where she is to meet with Trump ahead of the US president’s planned visit to China from March 31 to April 2 for a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平). Japan and the US are expected to hold in-depth discussions on Taiwan-related issues during the
‘LIKE-MINDED PARTNER’: Tako van Popta said it would be inappropriate to delay signing the deal with Taiwan because of China, adding he would promote the issue Canadian senators have stressed Taiwan’s importance for international trade and expressed enthusiasm for ensuring the Taiwan-Canada trade cooperation framework agreement is implemented this year. Representative to Canada Harry Tseng (曾厚仁) in an interview with the Central News Agency (CNA) said he was increasingly uneasy about Ottawa’s delays in signing the agreement, especially as Ottawa has warmed toward Beijing. There are “no negotiations left. Not only [is it] initialed, we have three versions of the text ready: English, French and Mandarin,” Tseng said. “That tells you how close we are to the final signature.” Tseng said that he hoped Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney
STAY IN YOUR LANE: As the US and Israel attack Iran, the ministry has warned China not to overstep by including Taiwanese citizens in its evacuation orders The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) yesterday rebuked a statement by China’s embassy in Israel that it would evacuate Taiwanese holders of Chinese travel documents from Israel amid the latter’s escalating conflict with Iran. Tensions have risen across the Middle East in the wake of US and Israeli airstrikes on Iran beginning Saturday. China subsequently issued an evacuation notice for its citizens. In a news release, the Chinese embassy in Israel said holders of “Taiwan compatriot permits (台胞證)” issued to Taiwanese nationals by Chinese authorities for travel to China — could register for evacuation to Egypt. In Taipei, the ministry yesterday said Taiwan
RSS