Continuing its vicarious interventions which brand China as the most demeaning actor in the international diplomacy, current reports clearly state that the Chinese were on a spying mission over the island of Taiwan in a bid to disrupt the political process and destabilize the Nation to usurp it for its own vested interests
Experts and Taiwanese officials say espionage is one of many ways in which China has tried to interfere or exert influence on the island.
Beijing has long conducted a “war without gunfire” against Taiwan, Tsai Ming-Yen, the director-general of Taiwan’s National Security Bureau.
China sends ever-rising numbers of fighter jets into Taiwan’s air defence zone, has rebuked its leaders for overseas visits that bordered on diplomacy, and banned imports of Taiwanese pineapples, mangoes and certain types of fish.
Many expect more of this as the election in January draws closer. Mr Tsai has also accused the Chinese government of attempting to meddle in the election through cyber attacks.
January’s vote is significant as it pits the incumbent Democratic People’s Party (DPP), which considers Taiwan to be independent and sovereign, against at least three opposition candidates who advocate maintaining the status quo by restarting dialogue with Beijing. And a win for the DPP’s candidate and current vice-president William Lai, who Beijing has said “clings stubbornly to the separatist position”, would pose a challenge for China’s unification plans.
The fear is that China’s “spies” do not just steal secrets but also help shape public opinion to garner support for China.
Half of China’s strategy in Taiwan involves “media warfare” to psychologically fracture and demoralise Taiwan, says Kerry Gershaneck, a visiting scholar at Taipei’s National Chengchi University. He points to the lead-up to the last election in 2020, when Beijing was found to have paid Taiwanese media for positive coverage of the mainland.
This time, the DPP’s battle plan in the information war involves making the spying allegations public, says Lev Nachman, a political scientist at National Chengchi University.
This is “good public relations” for the party, Prof Nachman adds. But he believes Chinese infiltration efforts will have little sway, and points to President Tsai Ing-wen’s emphatic win in 2020 despite concerns over Chinese interference.
“These cases are nothing new. They are part of the daily lives of ordinary Taiwanese and I believe the voters are much more aware of such tactics than we give them credit for.”
The DPP had passed sweeping anti-espionage laws ahead of the 2020 election, after self-confessed Chinese spy Wang Liqiang told Australian media that he had targeted Taiwan and Hong Kong on behalf of a Beijing-directed foreign interference ring. Chinese authorities dismissed his claims.
The scenario is quite clear that ..China is determined to take Taiwan into its fold through all the possible devious means going even against the very principles of human ethics , china wants to make its annexing of Taiwan a reality..but time only tell as to what would happen to the Dragon’s maligned intentions .
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