Taiwan not seeing signs of large-scale Chinese military activity pre-election

Taiwan is not witnessing any signals of large-scale Chinese military action ahead of elections next month, but the island’s defence minister said on Tuesday that it is keeping a tight eye on China.

Taiwan’s presidential and legislative elections on January 13 will influence the Chinese-claimed island’s ties with Beijing, which has increased military pressure on the island in the last four years to enforce its sovereignty claims.

Taiwan has reported Chinese fighter planes and warships surrounding the island, as well as balloons crossing the volatile Taiwan Strait, but the military insists they are most likely for weather monitoring.

“So far we haven’t seen signs they’re making big moves, but nothing today doesn’t mean there won’t be something tomorrow or the day after tomorrow,” Taiwan defence ministry spokesperson Sun Li-fang told reporters in Taipei.

“We are watching all the time,” he added.

China has not concealed its disdain for presidential contender Lai Ching-te from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, labelling him a separatist and threatening war if Taiwan declares official independence.

Lai has frequently offered negotiations with China, but has been turned down. He claims Taiwan is already an independent country known officially as the Republic of China.

After losing a civil war with Mao Zedong’s communists, who founded the People’s Republic of China, the defeated republican government retreated to Taiwan in 1949.

Taiwan’s defence ministry provides daily updates on Chinese military activity near the island, including the number of aircraft observed.

China has held two big war simulations near Taiwan in the last year and a half.