Lai Claims Beidaihe Ordered Election Interference; When Asked 'Did Spies Hide Under Politburo Standing Committee Beds?' David Lee Responds

On the 12th, Taiwan President and DPP Chair Lai Ching-te stated that recent media reports indicate the 2026 Chinese Communist Party Beidaihe meeting issued four directives on cross-strait affairs: opposing Taiwan's passage of defense budgets, strengthening 'de facto governance' over Taiwan, expanding the 'fifth column' within Taiwan, and requiring pro-Beijing forces in Taiwan to support so-called 'patriotic Chinese forces' in the year-end elections. Lai further claimed that the CCP views the outcome of Taiwan's upcoming elections as a key indicator of the success of its Taiwan strategy, placing significant pressure on Kaohsiung. He emphasized that Kaohsiung is a strategic battleground, stating, 'We must win this election.'

Following Lai's remarks, questions arose about the credibility and source of the intelligence. During the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) press conference on the 13th, a reporter from the China Times asked sarcastically, 'Given such specific accusations from government officials, may I ask the spokesperson: did our national security agencies and the MAC send special agents to hide under the beds of the seven members of the CCP Politburo Standing Committee to eavesdrop this year?'

In response, MAC Vice Chair David Liang stated, 'The statement we made that day was very simple—we did not refer to any specific meeting or its content.' He added, 'Of course, the president receives information from various units,' and emphasized that the MAC has a duty to continuously remind society that China's attempts to interfere in Taiwan's elections are an 'undeniable fact.'

Meanwhile, the Facebook page 'Touch the Extreme' (觸極者) cited a 2019 MAC publication, which included an article titled 'The CCP's Summer Retreat in Beidaihe No Longer Includes Meetings.' The article noted that under Hu Jintao, the Beidaihe meetings and collective working system were abolished, and the summer retreat reverted to a function of cadre rest and vacation.

'Touch the Extreme' questioned the contradiction: if the MAC previously stated Beidaihe 'no longer holds meetings,' how can Lai now claim directives were issued there? 'One of them must be spreading false information—who should be held accountable? Shouldn't you coordinate your story first?'

The Facebook page 'Political Insight Bureau' (政知局) also criticized Liang's response as evasive, stating, 'David Liang answered a different question than the one asked—it seems the DPP leadership hasn't yet coordinated their narrative.'

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