The Chinese army vowed to “crush” all efforts in favor of Taiwan's independence on Friday, January 12, on the eve of a crucial presidential election on the island, which Beijing says is part of its territory. “The Chinese People's Liberation Army maintains high vigilance at all times and will take all necessary measures to resolutely suppress attempts at 'Taiwan independence' in any form,” Defense Ministry spokesman Zhang Xiaogang said in a press release.
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He accused Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party of pushing the island “into dangerous war conditions” by buying weapons from the United States.
Survey closely monitored
Taiwan, a territory of 23 million people considered a model of democracy in Asia, lies just 180 kilometers from the coast of communist China, which considers it one of its provinces and should be forcibly annexed to the rest of the country if necessary.
Saturday's vote will be closely watched by Beijing, Washington and markets, with Taiwan – the world's leading semiconductor maker – also a key economic player.
Over the week, Beijing has increased its diplomatic and military pressure on the island. According to the Taiwanese Defense Ministry, five Chinese balloons again crossed the median line separating the archipelago from China on Thursday, also detecting 10 aircraft and six warships.
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