Taiwan sends airstrike warning to mobile phones across the island after China launched a satellite over its airspace amid rising tensions between Taipei and Beijing

Taiwan’s Defense Ministry today sent an airstrike alert to mobile phones across the island after China launched a satellite over its airspace amid rising tensions between Tapei and Beijing.

The presidential alert was sent to residents’ cellphones, warning of a missile overflight and to “beware of your safety.”

The airstrike alert came just minutes after China said it had successfully launched an Einstein Probe satellite from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwestern Sichuan province.

State broadcaster CCTV said the satellite was launched “using the Long March-2C launch vehicle… and the satellite entered its designated orbit.”

China had not previously announced the launch of the satellite and did not provide details of its flight plan.

Tuesday’s warning comes just days before Taiwan’s presidential and parliamentary elections on Saturday, which China has described as a choice between war and peace.

A phone and watch that received an air raid alert are placed together for a photo in New Taipei City, Taiwan on Tuesday

State broadcaster CCTV said the satellite was launched “using the Long March-2C launch vehicle… and the satellite entered its designated orbit.”

China said it had successfully launched an Einstein Probe satellite (pictured) from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwestern Sichuan province

China views Taiwan, located about 100 miles (160 kilometers) off China’s east coast, as a renegade province that should be brought under its control.

The Chinese satellite launched today will “observe mysterious transient phenomena in the universe similar to the flickering of fireworks, aiming to reveal the violent and little-known aspects of the cosmos,” state news agency Xinhua reported.

The warning came as Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu gave a press conference ahead of the January 13 presidential and parliamentary elections.

“This is something we’ve been dealing with for a long time. For the Taiwanese government, our military stands ready to face any emergency,” Wu said, answering a question about the satellite and possible Chinese military provocations.

Wu told reporters that a “satellite carried by a missile” had flown over the southern part of Taiwan, but said he had no further information.

It comes as Taiwan’s leading presidential candidate William Lai said today he hopes for a reopening of dialogue with China, after nearly eight years of Beijing’s near-complete refusal to communicate with the leaders of the self-governing island it considers own territory.

But Lai told reporters he would continue the current administration’s policy of maintaining Taiwan’s democratic de facto independence despite the Chinese Communist Party’s threats to annex the country through political, military or economic means.

China is demanding that Taiwan’s leaders relinquish their ownership claim over the island before reopening contacts.

“While we strive for peace, we have no illusions,” Lai said at a news conference ahead of Saturday’s presidential and legislative elections. “We will build Taiwan’s defense deterrent, strengthen Taiwan’s economic security capabilities, strengthen partnerships with democracies around the world, and maintain stable and principled leadership in cross-Strait relations.”

“Our door will always be open to cooperation with Beijing based on the principles of equality and dignity. We are ready and willing to work to show more for the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. Peace is priceless and war knows no winners.” Lai said.

Lai, currently Taiwan’s vice president, is widely seen as the front-runner in the election to succeed President Tsai Ing-wen, who by law cannot run for a third term.

Most polls show him well ahead of the main opposition Nationalist Party (KMT), candidate Hou You-yi, who favors eventual unification with China on his own terms, and the alternative Taiwan People’s Party Ko Wen-je, who has also pushed for renewed reforms. dialogue with China and avoiding confrontation with Beijing.

In the run-up to the elections, China is steadily increasing pressure on Taiwan, banning it from major international gatherings, enticing its diplomatic allies to attend just a handful, and offering financial incentives to politicians – from grassroots to top figures the opposition that could influence the vote or promote policies that increase Chinese access to the island’s economy.

The People’s Liberation Army sends ships and fighter jets on daily missions around Taiwan and the island’s Defense Ministry has reported increasing numbers of balloons crossing from China.

The balloon incidents recall last year’s raid of a Chinese balloon that flew over Canada and the US and was eventually shot down by the US Air Force.

China claimed the plane was a weather balloon that had been blown off course, but the US said it was carrying advanced intelligence-gathering technology.

Over the past 24 hours, the ministry said four Chinese balloons had flown over the island, while 10 fighter jets and four warships had invaded the airspace and waters near the island, as part of a campaign to undermine morale and military resilience.

The Defense Ministry said it had monitored China’s movements, flying fighter jets, sending ships and activating coastal missile systems.

Taiwan has strengthened its defense with new arms purchases from the US and expanded national military service for men from four months to one year.

These have become contentious issues in the upcoming elections, with Lai and the DPP accusing the KMT of blocking new defense spending, possibly as part of a deal with Beijing to gradually hand over control of the island.

This is a breaking news story, more to come…