China mulls action on Taiwan electionsNOSY NEIGHBORS Sources allege a number of goals, such as pushing ‘united front’ actions, interfering with Taiwan-US trade cooperation, and kneecapping arms salesBy Tzou Jiing-wen and Chen Yu-fu / Staff reporterBeginning today, China is holding a “Taiwan Work Conference,” with sources from Beijing indicating that the meeting would establish a special task force to respond to Taiwan’s local elections. Local elections are scheduled for Nov. 28 for mayoral and city council positions in Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Taichung, Tainan and Kaohsiung, as well as for county commissioners, mayors, councilors, borough wardens and other local representatives in the other 16 counties and county-level cities. A person’s face is covered by a Chinese flag fluttering in the wind in Beijing in an undated photograph. Meanwhile, commenting on the special task force targeting Taiwan’s local elections, Taiwanese academics yesterday assessed that China might launch differentiated economic and trade incentives for different counties and cities, such as purchasing agricultural products, easing import restrictions and resuming group tourism. China might continue to send signals such as saying “cross-strait relations can be unlocked as long as central government policies are adjusted,” framing local elections as a choice between “pragmatism and ideology,” they said.

Source: Taipei Times February 08, 2026 17:22 UTC