Chinese President Xi Jinping, who needs to demonstrate he is closing in on Taiwan unification if he is to be assured of a fourth term, is preparing to turn up the heat on the democratic island's next leader. (Nikkei montage/Source photos by Xinhua/Kyodo and Hiroki Endo)

Analysis: Xi Jinping's ambition to unify Taiwan motivates military purges

As the island votes for its next president, Beijing prepares to apply more pressure

KATSUJI NAKAZAWA, Nikkei senior staff writer

January 11, 2024 04:00 JST

Katsuji Nakazawa is a Tokyo-based senior staff and editorial writer at Nikkei. He spent seven years in China as a correspondent and later as China bureau chief. He was the 2014 recipient of the Vaughn-Ueda International Journalist prize.

As Taiwan's upcoming presidential election gives China an excuse to flex its military muscle, that military, especially its rocket and missile division, has been cast in the international spotlight.