Chinese state media has been accused of spreading unverified reports about Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen planning to escape in a U.S. plane if war breaks out with China. The narrative originated in 2021 and resurfaced before Taiwan’s January general election.

What Happened: According to Reuters, the Information Environment Research Center (IORG), a non-governmental organization in Taiwan, identified the reports the Taiwanese government has repeatedly denied.

The organization uncovered over 400 narratives depicting military exercises, such as the annual Han Kuang drills, as preparations for Taiwan’s leadership to abandon the ship. According to IORG, this seems to be a coordinated effort by Beijing to undermine the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

The IORG’s analysis revealed that the narrative was first introduced by a Chinese Communist Party (CCP)- )-controlled outlet in June 2021 and subsequently propagated by other official Chinese news sources.

China’s Taiwan Affairs Office dismissed the IORG’s research as “fabricated and ill-intentioned” and accused the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) of engaging in “cognitive warfare” to influence public sentiment.

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Despite these efforts, the DPP’s Lai Ching-te won the presidential election on Jan. 13. However, the party lost its parliamentary majority. Lai is set to be inaugurated on May 20.

Why It Matters: The Chinese government’s alleged disinformation campaign against Taiwan comes amid rising regional tensions. A top U.S. military official recently warned that China could be ready to invade Taiwan by 2027, and Taiwan has reported massive Chinese military bases near its territory.

Despite these challenges, Taiwan has expressed confidence in U.S. support, and former Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has dismissed the notion that China inherently resists democracy.

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