"The PRC (People's Republic of China) has fired a satellite..."

Interrupting this news conference held by Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu.

The security alert, sent by the Taiwanese defense ministry, stated that a Chinese satellite had flown over its southern airspace.

It described the projectile as a "satellite" in Chinese, and a "missile" in English.

Taiwan's main opposition Kuomintang Party criticized the alert, saying the English translation had misled the public.

Chinese state media claimed it was an astronomical satellite.

Taiwan's defense ministry later blamed "negligence" for the incorrect use of the term missile.

And said it would conduct a review into the incorrect use of the term.

Foreign minister Wu said the launch of the satellite came at a "sensitive moment" of the upcoming presidential and parliamentary election on Saturday (January 13).

He referred to the launch as, quote, "China's at tempt to interfere in our free and democratic election."

"I will classify that as part of their grey zone activities like flying balloon over Taiwan, or sending one of its tow ships, it's a large ship towing some objects, coming very close to Taiwan and today it is very close to our off-shore islands in Kinmen and Matsu. So all these kinds of tactics, is classified as grey zone activities, continue to remind the people here in Taiwan that there's a danger of war between Taiwan and China."

For years, Taiwan has complained about China's stepped-up military actions.

Beijing claims Taiwan as its own territory and has cast the elections as a choice between peace and war across the Taiwan Strait.

Taiwan's government rejects China's sovereignty assertions.