Every time the presidential election is about to happen, China’s presence makes itself felt, with Beijing’s interference in Taiwan’s political affairs becoming more obvious than ever.
The recent issue of Taiwanese groupers is an example. Another is that China makes a greater effort to spread false news through specific media outlets.
Everyone knows that the Chinese government has been aggressively trying to interfere in the presidential election, and it is impossible to change their attitude and behavior.
However, Taiwanese can still fight it by behaving rationally and using reason to disrupt Beijing’s political moves. Only by doing so can the elections be their own, and Taiwan’s democracy can be protected.
Since 1996 when the first direct presidential election was held in Taiwan, China’s attitude and ways of dealing with the election have remained the same. Beijing has attempted to influence the vote using all sorts of political and economic means. Nevertheless, compared with the late 1990s, Taiwanese have become more democratic. They are now more aware of what it means to practice democracy by voting, and have become increasingly antagonistic toward China’s interference.
No matter how hard Beijing tries to affect the election, it will not get what it wants.
Of course, the key to countering China is to look at the whole picture rationally. Based on observation, China has been attacking and threatening Taiwan through military and civilian means, and Beijing keeps repressing Taiwan in the international community.
The Chinese People’s Liberation Army Air Force has been sending out its aircraft to harass Taiwanese, intending to influence every aspect of their daily lives. China’s coercion could not be more obvious.
Yet right before next month’s presidential election, Beijing is now holding out an olive branch. Obviously, it is using the carrot-and-stick method. Voters must not be deceived by this seemingly friendly gesture; they must see through Beijing’s scheme and understand its motivation.
In the meantime, Taiwanese should have more confidence in their nation and its future. Most significantly, Taiwan’s economic power is widely recognized by other countries. Taiwan is also the most free country in Asia and its talent is the best in the region.
Taiwan’s strength cannot be eliminated by China. As long as Taipei keeps bolstering the nation’s soft power and enhancing national defense, Taiwan will be a much stronger player in the region. Taiwanese should believe that their country is more than capable of competing with China in the Taiwan Strait.
The presidential election is to be held in less than three weeks and the campaigns will draw to a close, but through the process, Taiwanese can see the problems that have been hidden from them. This drives discussion about these issues and would produce concrete solutions, which would greatly benefit the nation’s development.
Society must not become more divided because of the election.
All in all, China’s interference will not stop, and as election day is just around the corner, Beijing’s attacks and threats can be expected to intensify. It is hoped that voters can remain rational, have faith in their country, and ensure the election remains their own.
Voters should constantly remind themselves that their votes should not be affected by any foreign forces. Every voter must make their decision autonomously, and think clearly before casting their ballot to avoid having any regrets.
Li Kuan-long is a university lecturer.
Translated by Emma Liu
Concerns that the US might abandon Taiwan are often overstated. While US President Donald Trump’s handling of Ukraine raised unease in Taiwan, it is crucial to recognize that Taiwan is not Ukraine. Under Trump, the US views Ukraine largely as a European problem, whereas the Indo-Pacific region remains its primary geopolitical focus. Taipei holds immense strategic value for Washington and is unlikely to be treated as a bargaining chip in US-China relations. Trump’s vision of “making America great again” would be directly undermined by any move to abandon Taiwan. Despite the rhetoric of “America First,” the Trump administration understands the necessity of
US President Donald Trump’s challenge to domestic American economic-political priorities, and abroad to the global balance of power, are not a threat to the security of Taiwan. Trump’s success can go far to contain the real threat — the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) surge to hegemony — while offering expanded defensive opportunities for Taiwan. In a stunning affirmation of the CCP policy of “forceful reunification,” an obscene euphemism for the invasion of Taiwan and the destruction of its democracy, on March 13, 2024, the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) used Chinese social media platforms to show the first-time linkage of three new
If you had a vision of the future where China did not dominate the global car industry, you can kiss those dreams goodbye. That is because US President Donald Trump’s promised 25 percent tariff on auto imports takes an ax to the only bits of the emerging electric vehicle (EV) supply chain that are not already dominated by Beijing. The biggest losers when the levies take effect this week would be Japan and South Korea. They account for one-third of the cars imported into the US, and as much as two-thirds of those imported from outside North America. (Mexico and Canada, while
I have heard people equate the government’s stance on resisting forced unification with China or the conditional reinstatement of the military court system with the rise of the Nazis before World War II. The comparison is absurd. There is no meaningful parallel between the government and Nazi Germany, nor does such a mindset exist within the general public in Taiwan. It is important to remember that the German public bore some responsibility for the horrors of the Holocaust. Post-World War II Germany’s transitional justice efforts were rooted in a national reckoning and introspection. Many Jews were sent to concentration camps not
RSS