Taiwan’s 2024 Elections: A Comprehensive Analysis of the Critical Issues
In a month, Taiwan is set to hold its quadrennial presidential and parliamentary elections. The election is conducted under the shadow of the enduring “One China” principle and the intricate relationship between the Republic of China (Taiwan) and the People’s Republic of China (Mainland China). As the election nears, interest in comprehending the pertinent issues from experts has intensified. This article provides a deep dive into the critical information that voters and observers need to be cognizant of before the election unfolds.
Online Influence Operation Detected
Research firm Graphika has identified an influence operation targeting Taiwan’s imminent presidential election. The operation involved a network of fabricated accounts and pages on Facebook endorsing the Kuomintang party, while vilifying its opponents. This operation used repurposed Chinese-language TikTok and YouTube videos about Taiwanese politics, and meticulously paralleled Taiwan’s news cycle, painting the KMT’s opponents as inept and corrupt. While most accounts have been deactivated by social media platforms, Graphika forecasts an upsurge in attempts to manipulate Taiwan’s online political discourse ahead of the 2024 election.
(Read Also: Taiwan’s KMT Deputy Chairman Andrew Hsia Visits China Ahead of Crucial Elections)
Taiwan’s CEOs Optimistic About 2024
Despite concerns about potential warfare and negative growth in technology and conventional industries, CEOs in Taiwan are optimistic about 2024. Top business executives are apprehensive about regional political risks that include the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the US-China trade war. Cross-strait relations stand out as a significant issue for businesses, with 60% of CEOs expressing apprehension of a war between Taiwan and China within the next five years. CEOs are advocating for reforms in cross-strait dialogue mechanisms, expressing concern about the impact of volatile cross-strait relations on Taiwan’s economic development.
(Read Also: Lai Ching-te Aims to Boost Salaries in Taiwan, Rallying Support of Young Voters)
Unfolding Election Scenario
The general elections scheduled for January 13, 2024, will see Taiwan elect a president and 113 lawmakers to seats in parliament. The expectation is that Chinese cyber threat actors will escalate activity targeting Taiwan as the election date approaches. The potential impact of the KMT and TPP uniting to challenge the incumbent Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in Taiwan’s 2024 presidential election is being closely watched. Such a coalition could have implications for US-China-Taipei relations. The challenges and complexities of forming a coalition between the KMT and TPP, and the potential implications for other candidates like Terry Gou, are also under scrutiny.
Meanwhile, Joseph Wu, Taiwan’s longest-serving foreign minister, plans to step down after the January presidential election. His departure will leave Taipei without an experienced diplomat at the helm of its foreign ministry at a crucial juncture in U.S.-China relations. Concurrently, Taiwan’s military has thwarted four attempts by Chinese forces to approach the island’s sensitive contiguous zone, viewed as a Chinese campaign to intimidate voters before the crucial elections. Taiwan’s government is on high alert for what they perceive as China’s attempts to interfere in the elections by illicitly funding Beijing-friendly candidates.
