China doubles down on Taiwan threats as election nears

Beijing backs opposition KMT's picture of vote as choice of 'war and peace'

20231109 PLA cyber security image

Experts say that China is conducting a multipronged attack on Taiwan in trade, military and information spheres. (Nikkei montage/Source photos by Xinhua/AP and Reuters) 

THOMPSON CHAU, Contributing writer

TAIPEI -- China is doubling down on threats against Taiwan ahead of presidential and parliamentary elections in the island democracy, raising the specter of further attempts to sway the key Jan. 13 vote.

Song Tao, a senior Chinese official in charge of relations with Taiwan, said last month that relations across the Taiwan Strait face "two paths of peace and war, prosperity and decline -- two choices of prospects." Zhu Fenglian, spokesman for Beijing's agency responsible for Taiwan affairs, on Oct. 25 said the Taiwanese people have to "recognize the pros and cons and distinguish between right and wrong" when they vote.

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