Taiwan raises alert ahead of crucial vote following China’s satellite launch.
Taiwan’s government declared an island-wide alert on Tuesday, asserting that a Chinese satellite had traversed its southern airspace, a move characterized by Taiwan’s foreign minister as part of a series of provocations just days ahead of a crucial election.
The security alert, disseminated by the defense ministry to mobile phone users in Taiwan, coincided with the confirmation of a science satellite launch by Chinese state media at approximately 3 p.m. (0700 GMT). Initially referred to as a “missile” in English and a “satellite” in Chinese in the “presidential alert,” the defense ministry later attributed the misclassification to “negligence.” It clarified that the rocket had passed at a high altitude over Taiwan’s airspace.
Scheduled for Saturday, Taiwan’s presidential and parliamentary elections have been framed by Beijing as a choice between peace and war in the Taiwan Strait, a claim vehemently rejected by Taiwan’s government, which refutes China’s sovereignty assertions.
China, via Xinhua news agency, disclosed the launch of a new astronomical satellite named the Einstein Probe from Sichuan province, providing no prior announcement or details about its flight plan. This contrasts with two earlier satellite launches in December from Inner Mongolia, which did not trigger alerts as they didn’t pass over Taiwan.
As the alert sounded during a press conference by Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Joseph Wu, he characterized the satellite launch as part of a pattern of harassment similar to recent incidents involving Chinese balloons over the island. Wu labeled such actions as “grey-zone activities,” emphasizing the looming danger of war between Taiwan and China.
President Tsai Ing-wen, present at a campaign event in Kaohsiung, dismissed concerns, assuring the public that it was a satellite, not a missile. However, Taiwan’s main opposition party criticized the alert, accusing it of misleading the public.
The recent escalation, including threats to aviation safety and psychological warfare via balloons, adds to Taiwan’s longstanding complaints about increased Chinese military activities, such as regular flights of fighter jets over the strait. This strategic “grey zone” approach aims to exert pressure on Taiwan without escalating to full-blown conflict. China’s defense ministry has not yet responded to requests for comment.
