A Chinese state media attack on Taiwan's plan to hand every citizen cash flopped when mainland viewers used the comment section to demand the same treatment, forcing officials to shut comments off.

• President Lai Ching-te announced a plan to give every Taiwanese citizen 10,000 New Taiwan dollars, funded within a balanced budget with no new borrowing.
• A Chinese state broadcaster's Taiwan-focused outlet posted a video calling it vote-buying meant to rescue the ruling party before year-end elections.
• Mainland commenters turned on the outlet instead, asking why they never get handouts and saying Taiwan's yearly payouts make them jealous.
• The outlet deleted the comments and closed the section shortly after.
• The attack leaned on criticism from Taiwan's own opposition figures, who say the budget is being forced through.

Outlook: The cash handout stays a live fight in Taiwan's budget battle heading into the year-end elections, and Beijing's messaging on it now carries an obvious domestic risk.