Mainland China running ‘more subtle’ campaign to sway 2024 vote, Taipei says
- Hostile anti-DPP rhetoric of previous election years absent as Beijing hypes up greater risk of war if independence-leaning party stays in power
- Mind games, soft concessions like lifting import bans and disinformation are also techniques in play, source at Taiwan’s top spy agency says
Previous election years saw Beijing unleash hostile rhetoric against the independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party, in the hope that voters would choose the candidates of mainland-friendly parties like the Kuomintang.
However, it appears to be toning down the criticism after previous efforts to hit out at the DPP backfired, choosing instead to highlight the greater risk of war if the ruling party remained in power.
“In addition to nonstop military threats, the Chinese Communists have tried to generate fear within Taiwan by creating an atmosphere of imminent war and the feeling that people risk losing their homes and families if they continue to support the DPP or the pro-independence camp,” the source said.
Using platforms like TikTok and other social media, Beijing had been trying to impress upon Taiwanese that the DPP government and its “hostile” mainland policy were to blame for bringing Taiwan to the brink of war, the source said.