Days before a pivotal presidential election, Taiwan issued an alert for air raids throughout the entire island after a Chinese satellite passed over its southern airspace.
Users of mobile phones on the self-governing island were alerted to “be aware for your safety” by message. The “presidential alert” highlighted anxiety in the run-up to Saturday’s crucial legislative and presidential elections.
China has been charged with meddling in the election and has long claimed Taiwan as part of its territory.
The 23 million-person self-governing island serves as a major battleground in the US-China competition for Asian domination. The elections, according to analysts, will determine how Beijing and Washington’s relations develop.
According to Taiwan’s defence ministry, the satellite was launched at 15:03 local time from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre in the Sichuan province of China. China’s CCTV reported that the launch of a satellite called Einstein Probe had occurred with “complete success” at roughly the same time as the alert.
According to the Reuters news agency, Taiwan’s foreign minister Joseph Wu described the satellite launch over Taiwanese airspace so near to the election as a “greyzone” activity.
Mr Wu, who was present at a press conference at the time the alert was sent, stated, “Some of their tubes or debris will fall in this region when a rocket is openly flying in our sky.”
