Mainland China is trying to influence Taiwan presidential election, warns US ‘ambassador’
- Brent Christensen, the most senior US diplomat on the self-ruled island, says ‘malign actors’ are using disinformation to undermine the democratic process
- Island’s independence-leaning government has already accused Beijing of using a variety of means to target the January election
The most senior American diplomat in Taiwan has expressed concern about attempts by mainland China to influence the self-ruled island’s upcoming presidential election.
Brent Christensen, the de facto US ambassador, said Washington was working with Taipei to combat disinformation, which is seen as one of Beijing’s ways of targeting the January 11 poll.
“We are aware that China is attempting to apply pressure through various means on Taiwan,” the head of the American Institute in Taipei said on Friday.
“Certainly, these attempts to influence Taiwan’s democratic process are of concern.”
He continued: “We believe malign actors are using disinformation campaigns to make people lose faith in democratic institutions.”
Beijing, which views Taiwan as a wayward province that must return to the mainland’s fold – by force if necessary – has stepped up pressure to try to intimidate Taiwan militarily and isolate the island internationally in a bid to discourage voters from re-electing the incumbent president, Tsai Ing-wen, of the independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party.
