China says Taiwan is ‘hyping up’ military threat for electoral gain

By Laurie Chen

BEIJING (Reuters) -China’s defence ministry accused Taiwan’s government on Thursday of deliberately “hyping up” a military threat from China for electoral gain ahead of elections on the island in just over two weeks’ time.

Taiwan’s Jan. 13 presidential and parliamentary election will shape the Chinese-claimed island’s relations with Beijing, which has over the past four years ramped up military pressure to assert its sovereignty claims.

As the election approaches Taiwan has been reporting Chinese fighter jets and warships around the island, as well as balloons crossing the sensitive Taiwan Strait, though the military says they are most likely for weather monitoring purposes.

Speaking at a monthly news conference in Beijing, Chinese defence ministry spokesperson Wu Qian said Taiwan’s government was to blame for the tensions.

“The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities are deliberately hyping up the so-called ‘military threat from the mainland’ and exaggerating tensions,” said Wu, referring to Taiwan’s ruling party, which Beijing regards as separatists.

“This is entirely to seek electoral gain,” he said, accusing Taiwan of using a “familiar electoral playbook to stoke confrontation and manipulate the election”.

China has never renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control and in 2005 passed a law giving the country the legal basis for military action against Taiwan if it formally secedes or seems about to.

China detests the DPP’s presidential candidate, current Vice President Lai Ching-te, believing he is a separatist, and has rebuffed his calls for talks.

Taiwan’s defence ministry said this week they were not seeing any signs of large-scale Chinese military activity before the elections but were keeping a close watch on China.

Wu said China’s People’s Liberation Army was well aware of Taiwan’s military movements.

“We will, as always, take all necessary measures to resolutely defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity,” he added.

From the start of this month, Taiwan has reported a spate of Chinese balloons drifting over the sensitive Taiwan Strait, saying they were probably monitoring weather conditions.

Taiwan’s defence ministry says Chinese warplanes have also regularly crossed the waterway’s median line, which previously served as an unofficial barrier between the two sides.

Wu declined to comment on the balloons, and reiterated that China did not recognise the median line.

“Taiwan is a part of China. The ‘median line’ absolutely does not exist.”

China has been angered by U.S. arms sales to Taiwan.

“We firmly oppose any country having official and military contact with Taiwan in any form,” Wu added. “The United States is manipulating the Taiwan question in various forms, which is a very dangerous gamble.”

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