The Japanese news outletYomiuri Shimbun has revealed alleged recordings of a former conversation between a top official at a Chinese military research institute and the manager of a Beijing-based data analytics firm discussing plans to interfere in the 2018 Taiwanese local elections
The two men purportedly suggested allocating 20 million RMB (approximately 90 million TWD) to support Han Kuo-yu, the current president of Taiwan's legislature, during his successful bid for mayor of Kaohsiung in 2018.
In response, Han described the accusations as "cheap and clumsy smears used to divert attention from ineffective governance" and denied any knowledge of the Chinese individuals in a Facebook post on December 28.
On the same day, Kuomintang Chairperson Cheng Liwen questioned the unclear source of the recordings, describing the claims as malicious rumors orchestrated by Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party, or DPP.
"If the Chinese Communist Party really interfered in the election, why would the current rulers [the DPP] remain in power today?" Han asked.
"Rumors rife before the election were later proven false as many people busy chasing alleged spies found their own camp implicated," Han asserted.
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