In the run-up to Taiwan’s January 2024 general election, unsubstantiated reports circulated about outgoing President Tsai Ing-wen’s alleged plans to escape the island aboard a US military aircraft in the event of conflict with China. It has now been disclosed that Chinese state media spread these reports.
These claims, first published in 2021 and recently echoed, suggest that President Tsai had made preparations for her escape, including providing confidants with VIP “runaway” passes. But the veracity of these reports remains highly questionable.
Reuters, citing an analysis conducted by the Information Environment Research Center (IORG), a non-governmental organization based in Taiwan, reported that these narratives originated from Chinese state media outlets, particularly those controlled by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
The analysis revealed that the idea of Tsai planning to flee in the event of a conflict with China and Taiwan’s military drills being portrayed as rehearsals for such an event emerged as early as June 2021.
IORG identified a specific instance on June 10, 2021, when the Fujian Daily labeled a US military C-17 transport plane that had visited Taiwan that month as a “runaway plane” for Taiwan’s leadership.
The Taiwanese government has vehemently denied these reports, stating that they are false and unsubstantiated. It has not publicly disclosed any plans for the leadership in the event of a conflict.
Independent verification of these purported escape plans has been challenging, with the reporter unable to confirm their existence.
