China, under President Xi Jinping, left, is seeking to influence Taiwan’s presidential election in January. Vice President Lai Ching-te is front runner to win the race. (Nikkei montage/Source photos by Getty and Reuters)
THOMPSON CHAU, Contributing writer
TAIPEI — China is making full use of its economic and military playbook to scare the Taiwanese electorate ahead of January’s presidential election on the democratic island, with analysts pointing to drills and trade sanctions as an attempt to influence the race.
China on Monday suspended imports of Taiwanese mangoes, citing a “severe threat” to China’s agricultural and ecological security posed by citrus mealybugs detected in shipments of the fruit. Imports of Taiwanese apples, pineapples and grouper fish are already banned.
