'Public, please beware of your safety': China 'satellite' launch triggers Taiwan emergency phone alert

Taiwan’s countrywide emergency phone alert system was activated on Tuesday following the detection of a Chinese “satellite”, around the same time with Beijing’s announcement of the successful launch of the “Einstein Probe satellite.”

“China launched (a) satellite which flew over the southern airspace,” said the alert in Chinese. “Public, please beware of your safety.”

According to a Focus Taiwan report, though the message said “satellite” in Chinese, the English translation of the message was: “Missile flyover Taiwan airspace, be aware.”

The Ministry of National Defence later said the English version was mistaken, added the report.

Chinese state media said that Beijing had successfully launched the “Einstein Probe satellite using the Long March-2C carrier rocket at the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre”.

“The satellite entered its designated orbit,” AFP quoted CCTV as reporting, adding that the launch was a “complete success”.

The Public Warning Cell Broadcast Service message sent via smartphone users in Taiwan warned people to watch out for their safety and report it to authorities if they found debris from unidentified objects.

The alert came as Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Joseph Wu was holding a press conference with foreign reporters in Taipei ahead of Saturday’s election.

He assured reporters that it was a satellite, explaining that the alert was issued because of possible “debris”.

“When a rocket is openly flying in our sky, some of their tubes or debris will fall in this region,” AFP quoted Wu as telling reporters.

“That’s the reason why our national alert centre will issue this kind of alert. It has happened before,” Wu added.

Saturday’s election will be closely watched from Beijing to Washington as voters choose a new leader to steer the island in the face of an increasingly assertive Beijing.

Front-runner Lai Ching-te, Taiwan’s current vice president, accused Beijing of using “all means” to influence Saturday’s vote.

China has maintained a near-daily military presence around Taiwan, sending in fighter jets, naval vessels and drones.

The latest incursion came Monday when four balloons flew over the island, according to Taiwan’s defence ministry, while 10 Chinese warplanes and four naval vessels were also observed.

China’s state-run Xinhua news agency said the satellite will be used to make astronomical observations, in particular “mysterious transient phenomena in the universe comparable to the flickering of fireworks”.

With inputs from agencies