The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday strongly condemned the Chinese government for meddling with US officials’ interactions with Taiwan after FBI Director Christopher Wray revealed China’s efforts to discourage US officials from visiting Taiwan.
The greatest long-term threat to the US’ information security and intellectual property, as well as its economic vitality, is China’s counterintelligence and economic espionage operations, Wray told a video event at the Hudson Institute in Washington.
Beijing is engaged in a highly sophisticated and maligning foreign influence campaign, with methods that include bribery, blackmail and covert deals, he said.
Photo: Reuters
Giving an example, Wray said that when a US official plans to visit Taiwan, China would hit back at a company from the official’s home state by withholding licenses to manufacture products in China.
In more covert ways, China would approach people close to the official to act on its behalf as intermediaries to influence the official, he said, adding that some of the intermediaries might not even realize that they are being used as pawns.
The Chinese Communist Party also pressures US media and sports giants to ignore or suppress criticism of China’s ambitions regarding Taiwan or Hong Kong, he said.
The FBI opens a new China-related counterintelligence case about every 10 hours, Wray said, adding that of the nearly 5,000 active FBI counterintelligence cases under way across the US, almost half are related to China.
To protect the US’ economy, data, academia and innovation, the FBI is using a broad set of techniques ranging from traditional law enforcement to intelligence capabilities, he said, adding that it is working more closely with partner agencies at home and abroad to investigate China’s crimes.
Asked for comment, ministry spokeswoman Joanne Ou (歐江安) said the ministry strongly condemns Beijing’s ill-natured intervention in foreign governments’ interactions with Taiwan.
China has used every possible means to suppress Taiwan and its friends on the global stage, which does not benefit cross-strait relations and intensifies Taiwanese dislike of China, she said.
Taiwan’s achievements in democracy, freedom, human rights and the rule of law have won global acclaim, a fact that Beijing cannot suppress, she added.
The ministry calls on the global community to face China’s intention to subdue Taiwan and show the moral courage to reject its irrational requests, Ou said.
The issues of Taiwan, Hong Kong, Xinjiang and Tibet are pertinent to China’s sovereignty and security, for which China does not allow any foreign intervention, Chinese Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Yucheng (樂玉成) said at a video forum cohosted by the Chinese People’s Institute of Foreign Affairs and the Asia Society of the US.
While the US talks about market economy and fair competition, it actually does not allow other countries to become better or more competitive than itself, he added.
Regarding the future of China-US relations, Le said that while bilateral relations are heavily clouded, the sun always rises, and it is an unstoppable trend that the two nations will finally cooperate.
TRAGEDY STRIKES TAIPEI: The suspect died after falling off a building after he threw smoke grenades into Taipei Main Station and went on a killing spree in Zhongshan A 27-year-old suspect allegedly threw smoke grenades in Taipei Main Station and then proceeded to Zhongshan MRT Station in a random killing spree that resulted in the death of the suspect and two other civilians, and seven injured, including one in critical condition, as of press time last night. The suspect, identified as a man surnamed Chang Wen (張文), allegedly began the attack at Taipei Main Station, the Taipei Fire Department said, adding that it received a report at 5:24pm that smoke grenades had been thrown in the station. One man in his 50s was rushed to hospital after a cardiac arrest
PUBLIC SAFETY: The premier said that security would be tightened in transport hubs, while President Lai commended the public for their bravery The government is to deploy more police, including rapid response units, in crowded public areas to ensure a swift response to any threats, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday after a knife attack killed three people and injured 11 in Taipei the previous day. Lai made the remarks following a briefing by the National Police Agency on the progress of the investigation, saying that the attack underscored the importance of cooperation in public security between the central and local governments. The attack unfolded in the early evening on Friday around Taipei Main Station’s M7 exit and later near the Taipei MRT’s Zhongshan
SAFETY FIRST: Double the number of police were deployed at the Taipei Marathon, while other cities released plans to bolster public event safety Authorities across Taiwan have stepped up security measures ahead of Christmas and New Year events, following a knife and smoke bomb attack in Taipei on Friday that left four people dead and 11 injured. In a bid to prevent potential copycat incidents, police deployments have been expanded for large gatherings, transport hubs, and other crowded public spaces, according to official statements from police and city authorities. Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) said the city has “comprehensively raised security readiness” in crowded areas, increased police deployments with armed officers, and intensified patrols during weekends and nighttime hours. For large-scale events, security checkpoints and explosives
ON ALERT: Taiwan’s partners would issue warnings if China attempted to use Interpol to target Taiwanese, and the global body has mechanisms to prevent it, an official said China has stationed two to four people specializing in Taiwan affairs at its embassies in several democratic countries to monitor and harass Taiwanese, actions that the host nations would not tolerate, National Security Bureau (NSB) Director-General Tsai Ming-yen (蔡明彥) said yesterday. Tsai made the comments at a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, which asked him and Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo (顧立雄) to report on potential conflicts in the Taiwan Strait and military preparedness. Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Michelle Lin (林楚茵) expressed concern that Beijing has posted personnel from China’s Taiwan Affairs Office to its
RSS