A Chinese satellite launch has triggered a nationwide emergency alert in Taiwan days before its presidential election, prompting alarm and confusion as the English portion of the message erroneously translated satellite to “missile”.

Chinese authorities had not given notice of the launch, and Taiwan’s defence ministry said its trajectory – shown on maps to fly south-east across the southern end of Taiwan – was “abnormal” and may cause risks on the ground.

"The … military immediately used the national warning system to inform the people to be alert,” it said, adding that no debris from the rocket booster fell outside Chinese territory.

The launch and alert came at a moment of anxiety in Taiwan, where presidential elections will take place on Saturday, under threat from Beijing, which claims it as a province and threatens to annex it.