Estimated read time: Less than a minute
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Taiwan’s leader, Tsai Ing-wen, says Chinese attempts to interfere in the island’s presidential election campaign are happening “every day.”
Tsai gave no details, but she said China was using “every means they can” to influence the Jan. 11 vote for president and lawmakers. Tsai is seeking a second five-year term.
Tsai spoke Tuesday after she and her running mate, former Premier William Lai, officially registered for the election accompanied by cheering supporters.
China is believed to strongly favor Tsai’s main opponent in the race, Han Kuo-yu of the Beijing-friendly Nationalist Party.
Since she took office in 1996, Beijing has sought to undermine Tsai’s pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party government with increasing diplomatic and economic pressure.
Self-governing Taiwan split from China in 1949 and transitioned to full democracy in the 1990s.
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
