TEHRAN, May 10 - Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen said on Friday that China has stepped up efforts to infiltrate and gain influence in the self-ruled and democratic island, and asked national security agencies to counter the campaign.
TEHRAN, Young Journalists Club (YJC) - Tsai, speaking to reporters after a national security meeting, said China's influence operations included attempts to interfere with elections and fake news campaigns. Taiwan holds presidential elections next January.
She did not give details of specific incidents but said Taiwan's national security agencies would be finding ways to tackle China's moves.
Tsai also said Taiwan would deter military aggression in the Taiwan Strait, vowing to boost defense capabilities, including upgrading military equipment and a recently launched program to build submarines.
"The Chinese Communist Party continues to demonstrate provocative actions in the Taiwan Strait, destroying the status quo across the Taiwan Strait," Tsai said.
Her comments follow a spike in cross-strait tensions last month when China's military staged extensive drills with warships, bombers and reconnaissance aircraft around the island.
Taiwan scrambled jets to monitor the drills, which a senior U.S. official at the time described as "coercion" and a threat to regional stability.
Beijing suspects Tsai is pushing for the island's formal independence and has steadily stepped up political and military pressure.
Any formal independence move is a red line for China, which considers Taiwan its sacred territory has never renounced the use of force to bring the island under its control.
Tsai says she wants to maintain the status quo with China but will defend Taiwan's security and democracy.
Source: Reuters
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