China issues warning to Australia as Taiwan votes for new leader

China has pulled no punches in comments that are certain to shake up Canberra as a major vote takes place that will shape our relationship with Beijing.

China’s ambassador to Australia, Xiao Qian, left, and Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese.

China has pulled no punches in comments that are certain to shake up Canberra as a major vote takes place that will shape our relationship with Beijing.

Millions of Taiwanese voted Saturday for a new president in the face of threats from China that choosing the wrong leader could set the stage for war on the self-ruled island.

Beijing slammed frontrunner Lai Ching-te, the current vice president, as a dangerous “separatist” in the days leading up to the poll, and on the eve of the vote, its defence ministry vowed to “crush” any move towards Taiwanese independence.

Communist China claims self-ruled Taiwan, separated from the mainland by a 180-kilometre (110-mile) strait, as its own and says it will not rule out using force to bring about “unification”, even if conflict does not appear imminent.

China’s ambassador to Australia, Xiao Qian, left, and Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese.

So serious is China’s concern about the vote that Chinese ambassador to Australia, Xiao Qian, issued a threat to Australia about its involvement with the man most likely to become Taiwan’s next leader — incumbent William Lai.

In an exclusive interview with The Australian, Mr Xiao warned that Australia would be “pushed over the edge of an abyss” if it tied itself to Mr Lai and Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party.

He said Mr Lai’s party was guilty of “changing the status quo across the Straits” by colluding with “external forces in successive provocative actions”.

“If Australia is tied to the chariot of Taiwan separatist forces, the Australian people would be pushed over the edge of an abyss,” the ambassador said.

Read Mr Xiao’s exclusive opinion piece in full in The Australian here

Voting began at 8am Saturday at nearly 18,000 polling stations across the island, with almost 20 million people eligible to cast ballots.

Results are expected Saturday evening, with the outcome watched closely from Beijing to Washington — the island’s main military partner — as the two superpowers tussle for influence in the strategically vital region.

During a raucous campaign, Mr Lai, pitched himself as the defender of Taiwan’s democratic way of life.

A mobile phone screen shows a blocked Weibo page about Taiwan’s election. Picture: Greg Baker/AFP

“Please go out and vote to show the vitality of Taiwan’s democracy,” he told reporters before casting his ballot in a school gymnasium in the southern city of Tainan.

“This is Taiwan’s hard-won democracy. We should all cherish our democracy and vote enthusiastically.”

His main opponent, Hou Yu-ih, of the opposition Kuomintang (KMT), favours warmer ties with China and accuses the DPP of antagonising Beijing with its stance that Taiwan is “already independent”.

Hou’s KMT has said it will boost economic prosperity, while maintaining strong relationships with international partners, including the United States.

Taiwan bans the publishing of polls within 10 days of elections, but political observers say the 64-year-old Lai is expected to win the top seat, though his party is likely to lose its parliamentary majority.

People wait in line to cast their ballots in New Taipei City on January 13, 2024. Picture: Sam Yeh / AFP

It comes as China stepped up military pressure on the key maritime gateway linking the South China Sea to the Pacific Ocean.

Chinese President Xi Jinping in a recent New Year’s address said the “unification” of Taiwan with China was “inevitable”.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has kept his messaging around the election simple.

“It is important that everyone respects the outcome of democratic elections. That is a matter for the people in Taiwan,” Mr Albanese said.

— with AFP

Originally published as China issues warning to Australia as Taiwan votes for new leader