Taiwan’s vice president accuses China of attempting to influence upcoming elections

By SIMINA MISTREANU
Associated Press

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Taiwan’s vice president and front-runner in upcoming presidential elections has accused China of employing unfair trade practices that could be used to influence the voting. William Lai said China “will be hoping to interfere in the elections with all sorts of tactics.” If they succeed, he said, “it will be an undermining of Taiwan’s democracy.” His comments come after China announced on Monday that it was suspending mango imports from Taiwan, alleging that authorities had detected pests on the fruit. The trade curb is widely believed to be politically motivated. Taiwan is due to hold presidential elections in January 2024.