China's 'Einstein' satellite launch stirs up pre‑election tension in Taiwan
Taiwan's Ministry of Defense shared a warning about China's satellite launch on Tuesday, the American news agency, Associated Press, reported. This tense situation arises days before the elections. Presidential and parliamentary elections are due to take place in Taiwan on Saturday. China describes the impending vote as a choice between war and peace.
9:41 AM EST, January 9, 2024
According to the Associated Press, the warning issued by Taiwan was delivered bilingually to residents' cell phones, alerting them to a rocket pass-by. The Ministry of Defense later apologized to the public for the incorrect English translation. The ministry explained that it was a satellite-carrying rocket that China had launched, not a missile.
The ministry communicated that the Chinese rocket passed over southern Taiwan at a high altitude. The warning coincided with an international press conference by Taiwan's Foreign Minister, Joseph Wu. "We must remain responsible and maintain moderation to prevent conflict between Taiwan and China," said the minister. Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen, who was then in the southern city of Kaohsiung, reassured the public that there was no cause for concern.
The state media in China reported that the country launched a satellite named "Einstein" using the Long March 2C rocket. The launch occurred at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan Province, southwestern China. The satellite successfully entered orbit, reported the Central Chinese Television.
Over the past month, Taiwan was troubled by Chinese balloons flying over the Taiwan Strait and the island. Taiwan's Ministry of Defense interprets the incidents as Chinese psychological warfare but stopped short of labeling the balloons as spyware. Beijing views Taiwan, which is a mere 100 miles off the shores of mainland China, as a renegade province that it seeks to regain dominion over.
Source: AP
