Taiwan’s William Lai accused of stoking fear with 2027 countdown confusion and defence push

The controversy erupted after Lai told a press conference on Wednesday that Beijing was pursuing a goal to “complete unification with Taiwan by force by 2027”, a line later amended on his official platforms to specify preparation for such an option rather than a scheduled assault. Karen Kuo, a spokeswoman for Lai’s office, insisted 2027 was not a “confirmed invasion date” but a capability benchmark cited in US congressional and think-tank assessments. Still, the political blast radius was immediate. The office later blamed the media for misunderstanding. Opposition Taiwan People’s Party spokeswoman Chang Tung said Lai’s wording was “shocking and…