Beijing has stepped up its intimidation of Taiwan by releasing a video on state media of a simulated attack on the island and by airing the purported confession of a Taiwanese businessman detained in China on spying charges. The twin-pronged strategy came as Tsai Ing-wen, the Taiwanese president, appeared to offer an olive branch to China amid growing tensions across the Taiwan Strait, urging the Chinese Communist Party to engage in “meaningful dialogue” on an equal basis. President Tsai made the gesture on Saturday during National Day celebrations, describing relations with Beijing as “quite tense” after weeks of China ramping up its air force activity close to Taiwanese airspace and crossing the Taiwan Strait’s sensitive mid line, which normally acts as an unofficial buffer zone. But her overtures were immediately rebuffed by Beijing, which has refused to negotiate with Ms Tsai’s administration since she was first elected in 2016, and which immediately accused Taiwan of continuing to pursue independence and of having a confrontational mindset.
