Beijing to renew its ‘united front’ initiative: memo – 台北時報

• By Yimou Lee / Reuters, TAIPEI

The government believes China is set to renew a charm offensive targeting “opinion leaders” to win hearts and minds as Taiwan gears up for a presidential election in less than a year, a security agency said in an internal report.

China has long taken a carrot-and-stick approach to Taiwan, threatening it with the prospect of military action while reaching out to Taiwanese it believes are amenable to Beijing’s point of view.

As Taipei and Beijing gradually resume travel links halted by the COVID-19 pandemic, Taiwanese security officials expect China to relaunch an “united front” push that in the past included all-expenses-paid trips to China for Taiwanese politicians.

From this month, the campaign would focus on invitations for “opinion leaders” to visit China, a security agency looking into Chinese activities in Taiwan said in the classified report, a copy of which was reviewed by Reuters.

“The Chinese Communist Party is developing its exchange programs with Taiwan for the year. Various Taiwan-related agencies will gradually resume their invitations to Taiwan people on all levels to visit the mainland,” the agency said a report released last month, citing intelligence information.

With the presidential election due in January next year, officials worry that Beijing could try to stir animosity toward the government of President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文).

China, which has never renounced the use of force, has over the past few years ramped up pressure on Taiwan, including staging regular military exercises near its coasts.

Beijing is expected to try to use its campaign to sway the public to support political parties that are more open to “unification,” or at least to building closer ties.

“They might want Taiwanese to support certain political parties who support closer economic ties with the mainland,” a security official investigating the matter told Reuters.

The official, who declined to be identified, said China could invite a range of people beyond political and business leaders in the hope of quietly promoting its political ideology.

“The exchange programs may come in the name of sports, culture or commerce, but what we are worried about is what’s being said privately,” the official said.

The report did not single out an individuals or parties that the government believes could be targeted in the campaign, but Beijing has long-standing contacts with the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), which traditionally favors close ties with China, but strongly denies being pro-Beijing.

KMT Vice Chairman Andrew Hsia (夏立言) visited Beijing last month for meetings with top Chinese officials, a trip the KMT said would “effectively de-escalate tensions” and improve communications.

Also last month, a group of Chinese officials made their first visit to Taiwan in three years to attend a cultural event in Taipei.

Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) of the KMT welcomed them.

The KMT said the government had approved the officials’ visit and had been calling for efforts to “break the ice” with Beijing.

The KMT also rejected any notion that the opposition was the target of China’s effort.

“Why only say that this is Beijing’s unilateral ‘charm offensive’ targeting opposition parties?” the KMT said in a statement to Reuters. “Even the United States encourages exchanges across the Taiwan Strait and peaceful dialogue.”

It said that Tsai’s Democratic Progressive Party had failed to take the initiative to reduce tension and improve communication, leaving it to the KMT to do so.

Security agencies are closely monitoring Chinese groups in Taiwan, including China’s quasi-governmental organizations responsible for issues from trade to tourism, as well as Chinese students, the report said.

A second senior security official said Taiwan should be “on high alert” for efforts by China to press its message on unification.

“They are looking for a window of opportunity to bypass the Taiwan authorities,” the official said.