Written by by Liu Zhen at scmp.com
The PLA is ready to take “all necessary measures” to defeat Taiwan separatism, a mainland Chinese military spokesman said on Friday on the eve of the island’s presidential election.
“The People’s Liberation Army is on high vigilance at all times and will take all necessary measures to resolutely crush any form of secessionist designs for ‘Taiwan independence’ and to firmly defend the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country,” defence ministry spokesman Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang said in Beijing.Democr
Across the Taiwan Strait, Taiwan’s defence ministry posted on its official account on X, formerly Twitter, saying it was “combat ready at all times”.
“Full combat readiness, vigorous training, [Taiwan’s armed forces] are the guardians of national security and the defenders of freedom and democracy!” the post said.
Taiwan will hold its presidential and legislative elections on Saturday. William Lai Ching-te, vice-president and candidate of the independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party, is leading the race.
He is trailed by his two opponents – New Taipei City mayor Hou Yu-ih, from the Beijing-friendly Kuomintang, and Ko Wen-je, a former Taipei mayor from the Taiwan People’s Party.