In a significant development occurring just days before Taiwan’s crucial presidential election, China’s satellite launch triggered Taiwan’s emergency phone alert system, raising security concerns in the region.
Chinese state media reported that Beijing had successfully launched the “Einstein Probe” satellite using the Long March-2C carrier rocket at the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre. According to CCTV, the satellite entered its designated orbit, marking the launch as a “complete success.”
Concurrently, phones across Taiwan received emergency alert messages. The alert in Chinese informed the public about the satellite flying over southern airspace. However, the English version described it as an “air raid alert,” cautioning against a “missile flyover Taiwan airspace.”
This emergency alert coincided with Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Joseph Wu holding a press conference in Taipei with foreign reporters ahead of the upcoming presidential election.
Wu addressed reporters, stating, “When a rocket is openly flying in our sky, some of their tubes or debris will fall in this region. That’s the reason why our national alert centre will issue this kind of alert. It has happened before.”
The incident sparked security concerns, especially given its timing amid the presidential election. Wu emphasized that such alerts had occurred in the past when rockets or debris from space launches were expected to fall into the region. The use of the term “air raid alert” in the English version of the message added to the sense of urgency and raised questions about communication transparency between Taiwan and China.
This event adds an additional layer of complexity to the already tense relations between China and Taiwan, with implications for regional security dynamics.
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