China's military on Friday vowed to "crush" any efforts to promote Taiwan's independence, a day before a crucial election on the self-ruled island which Beijing claims is part of its territory.
"The Chinese People's Liberation Army maintains high vigilance at all times and will take all necessary measures to firmly crush 'Taiwan independence' attempts of all forms," Defence Ministry spokesperson Zhang Xiaogang said in a statement.
Zhang accused Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party of pushing the island "toward the dangerous conditions of war" by purchasing arms from the United States.
Using military threats, diplomatic pressure, fake news and financial inducements for politicians, China is being accused of deploying a broad strategy to influence voters in Taiwan's elections to pick candidates who favour unification.
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Taiwan's bustling democracy of 23 million people is separated by a narrow 180-kilometre (110-mile) strait from communist-ruled China, which has vowed to retake the island one day.
Saturday's presidential contest is being closely watched around the world as the winner will lead the strategically important island -- a major producer of vital semiconductors -- as it manages ties with an increasingly assertive China.
In the past few years, Beijing has consistently deployed military forces near Taiwan on a nearly daily basis, using warplanes and ships in what is known as "grey zone" harassment tactics, stopping just short of direct provocation. The weeks leading up to Saturday's vote have also seen a flurry of Chinese balloons crossing the Taiwan Strait's sensitive median line, which Taipei authorities have slammed as a form of interference in the crucial poll.
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If the current ruling party in Taiwan, which supports independence, remains in control, Chinese leader Xi Jinping may feel compelled to move towards reunification. On the other hand, if the opposing party, which aligns with Beijing's view on the concept of one China but differs on governance, wins, Beijing might see it as an opportunity to address the issue with greater patience.
China's ultimate goal is to take control of the self-governing island democracy, whose high-tech economy supplies key components for computers, cellphones and other electronic devices and ships much of the world's goods out from the Taiwan Strait.
Beijing has long insisted Taiwan is part of China and must be regained, by military force if necessary, regardless of the views of the island's people.
(With inputs from AFP and AP)