Taipei:President Lai Ching-te has issued a warning about potential Chinese interference in Taiwan's upcoming local elections. Opposition Kuomintang (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun has simultaneously urged her supporters to turn out in large numbers to vote as the election campaign enters its final month.
According to Focus Taiwan, Lai, who also chairs the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), emphasized the need for vigilance against China's cognitive warfare tactics aimed at influencing the election. He outlined concerns over Beijing's use of artificial intelligence, cross-border repression, and coordinated online disinformation campaigns that threaten Taiwan's democratic processes.
Lai advised DPP officials and candidates to remain cautious about the party's prospects and to focus on countering false information with fact-based communication. He also encouraged voters, especially those away from home, to return for the election, highlighting the upcoming availability of travel bookings for Taiwan High Speed Rail and Taiwan Railway on October 30.
Cheng addressed the competitive nature of the Taipei mayoral race, noting fluctuating poll results between the KMT and DPP candidates. She highlighted the importance of voter turnout, especially among KMT supporters, and announced plans for a nationwide election monitoring system to prevent fraud, assisted by the Huang Fu-hsing faction of military veterans.
KMT Culture and Communications Committee Director Chen Yi-hsin outlined the party's strategy to recruit volunteers for election monitoring across Taiwan's polling stations, with extensive training sessions planned. A crisis response center will be set up to oversee these efforts, particularly in regions governed by the DPP.
Taiwan's "nine-in-one" local elections on November 28 aim to fill over 11,000 positions, including city mayors, county magistrates, and other local posts.
