While campaigning for re-election yesterday, President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said that China has been spreading disinformation in an attempt to sway voters, and called on all pro-Taiwan forces to unite for the elections on Jan. 11.
“It is nearly 70 days until election day, and China has increased its coercion tactics... It has been doing so through a combination of military threats, disinformation and propaganda, infiltration, and other methods,” Tsai said in Taipei at the launch of a group of supporters comprised of dental professional associations.
“China has been producing fake news and disseminating rumors to deceive and mislead Taiwanese,” she said: “This misinformation and fake news is destroying our democracy, which is Taiwan’s most important asset.”
Photo: CNA
“When receiving fake news, I urge everyone not to pass it on to other people,” she said.
Tsai was accompanied by Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus convener Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘), who is a dentist by profession, and Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中), also a dentist and a former Taiwan Dental Association chairman, as well as several DPP lawmakers and candidates hoping to win a seat in the legislative election on Jan. 11.
“For this election, all pro-Taiwan forces must rally together to seize victory. All groups must unite ... no matter if they support the Republic of China or Taiwan,” Tsai said.
She attended events around Taipei throughout the day, including a gathering of companies from the green energy industry that support her re-election, another gathering hosted by the national associations of engineers, and an event organized by the leaders of Kiwanis International chapters from across the nation.
Tsai also headed to Taipei’s Wanhua District (萬華) to visit a temple and stumped for Legislator Freddy Lim (林昶佐), formerly of the New Power Party, who is running for re-election as an independent.
Taiwan is on the front line in the fight for democracy, as it faces a military threat from China and propaganda warfare every day, Tsai said.
“The whole world is watching this election, to see what Taiwanese will decide. So everyone must vote to share the nation’s collective will and values with the world,” she said. “We must not send the wrong message to the international community.”
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