China meddling allegations roil Taiwan election campaign

CHINA - TAIPEI. New allegations Beijing tried to infiltrate Taiwan’s democracy roiled election campaigning on the island this weekend, with President Tsai Ing-wen’s main opponent saying would drop out if he had taken money from China’s Communist Party.

A Chinese defector, named as Wang “William” Liqiang by Australian media, gave a sworn statement to the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, or ASIO, about Beijing’s efforts to influence politics in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Australia.

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In particular, Wang said he helped guide positive media attention toward certain Taiwanese politicians, including Tsai’s top challenger, Han Kuo-yu from the China-friendly Kuomintang party. China, in a late night statement on Saturday, said Wang is a convicted fraudster who traveled on fake documents.

Taiwan, claimed by China as its sacred territory to be brought under Beijing’s control by force if needed, is already on high alert for Chinese attempts to sway presidential and legislative elections scheduled for Jan. 11, whether through disinformation campaigns or military intimidation.

The details about what China is suspected of doing in Taiwan quickly provoked strong reaction from both Han and his party and Tsai and her ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), which supports Taiwan’s formal independence, a red line for Beijing.

Speaking on a campaign stop in eastern Taiwan on Saturday, Tsai said China’s “shadow” was becoming more and more obvious.

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Taiwan must not let China destroy its democratic values, she added.

DPP Chairman Cho Jung-tai, writing on his Facebook page, said the Kuomintang was teaming up with the Chinese Communist Party against Taiwan and urged people to use their vote wisely.

“Will one ballot decide whether Taiwan wants to go into totalitarian China with the Kuomintang?” Cho wrote.