Days before the country’s presidential elections, a political storm regarding China’s intentions erupted on the island on Wednesday when a Chinese satellite went into orbit and mistakenly triggered an air raid warning.
The main opposition party questioned why the notice was sent, but Taiwan’s presidential office stated that it did not believe the launch of a Chinese satellite, whose rocket sailed over southern Taiwan, was an effort at interference before the election.
After the Chinese rocket carrying a scientific satellite passed over southern Taiwan on Tuesday at a height of more than 500 kilometres (310 miles), the administration mistakenly issued an air raid alert. Later, the defence ministry issued an apology for the incorrect use of “missile” in the English translation.
In response to inquiries about whether it believed the satellite launch to be electoral interference, Taiwan’s presidential office stated that it did not believe there was a political motivation.
Taiwan, which China considers as its territory despite the strong objections of the Taipei administration, has frequently accused Beijing of seeking to interfere in the vote by military, political, economic, or other methods, even though the rocket launch caused an incorrect air raid warning. China has referred to the claims as “dirty tricks”.
The presidential candidate of the governing party, Lai Ching-te, supported the release of a graphic by the Taiwan defence ministry that depicted the satellite’s flight route over southern Taiwan.
While campaigning on Wednesday, he said, “This information was based on the people’s right to know, and to not let the public misunderstand. At the same time, if any wreckage is discovered then it could be handed over to the relevant authorities. This is something that should be done.”
In a brief statement on Wednesday, China’s Taiwan Affairs Office said that the satellite launch was an annual tradition that had “nothing to do with the Taiwan election.”
Early in December, China launched two satellites from an Inner Mongolian launch facility on separate days. Neither of those had caused an alert or flown over Taiwan.
According to Jonathan McDowell, an astronomer who monitors space launches for the Harvard-Smithsonian Centre for Astrophysics, the rocket’s first stage landed deep inside China, while its second stage passed over Taiwan at a height equivalent to that of the International Space Station.
He said, “It was far up in space and indeed entered orbit well before crossing the coast of mainland China. So, I think this is an overreaction by Taiwan. Satellites fly over Taiwan every day.”
Ozioma Samuel-Ugwuezi
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