The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) yesterday slammed China for sanctioning Representative to the US Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) and six other Taiwanese officials for being “diehard separatists,” saying its attempt to intimidate Taiwanese would backfire.
China has no authority to dictate the actions of Taiwanese, because Taiwan is a democratic nation that upholds the rule of law, and would never yield to intimidation and threats from an authoritarian regime, ministry spokeswoman Joanne Ou (歐江安) told a news conference in Taipei.
China’s state-run Xinhua news agency earlier yesterday reported that the Taiwan Work Office of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee has imposed sanctions against Hsiao and other “diehard Taiwanese independence separatists.”
Photo compiled by the Taipei Times
In addition to Hsiao, National Security Council Secretary-General Wellington Koo (顧立雄), Deputy Legislative Speaker Tsai Chi-chang (蔡其昌), Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus whip Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘), DPP Deputy Secretary-General Lin Fei-fan (林飛帆), DPP Legislator Wang Ting-yu (王定宇) and New Power Party (NPP) Chairwoman Chen Jiau-hua (陳椒華) were added to the sanctions list, Xinhua reported.
Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌), Legislative Speaker You Si-kun (游錫堃) and Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) have been on the list since it was made public in November last year.
The people on the list and their family members are banned from entering China, Hong Kong and Macau, Xinhua reported.
Photo: Yang Cheng-yu, Taipei Times
The sanctions are unlikely to have any practical effect, as senior Taiwanese officials do not visit China.
Their affiliated institutions are restricted from cooperating with organizations and individuals in China, and enterprises related to them cannot engage in business activities in the country, Xinhua said.
The people on the list have gone to great lengths to “collude with external forces” in provocations advocating Taiwanese independence and pose a grave danger to “Chinese national rejuvenation,” Xinhua quoted an office spokesperson as saying.
China’s efforts to deter people from speaking up for Taiwan by targeting politicians and opinion leaders who have worked to enhance Taiwan’s international visibility would only backfire, as it would foster resentment among Taiwanese, Ou said.
The Mainland Affairs Council said the sanctions were “illegal” and “ineffective,” as Taiwan and China do not have jurisdiction over each other.
The government would respond to the sanctions with “necessary measures in a timely manner” to avoid adverse effects, and ensure national security and the public interest, it added.
Lin said on Facebook that he felt “honored” to be sanctioned by an authoritarian regime, adding that he considered it as a “sign of being part of the free world.”
When news of the sanctions came out, many of his friends working in the foreign media, the diplomatic corps and at think tanks sent him congratulatory messages, Lin said.
Chen said that she “felt extremely honored” for being sanctioned, as it shows that Beijing recognizes her determination to defend Taiwan’s sovereignty and democratic values.
“The NPP and I will continue to stand firm on Taiwanese values. Taiwan is an independent, sovereign nation and I am Taiwanese. My determination to defend Taiwan’s democracy and freedom will never change,” she told a news conference in Taipei.
Additional reporting by Shelley Shan
ONE LAST TALK: While Xi said that Taiwan was a ‘red line,’ Biden, in what is likely his last meeting with Xi as president, called for an end to China’s military activity around Taiwan China’s military intimidation and economic coercion against Taiwan are the main causes of tensions that are destabilizing peace in the Taiwan Strait, Taipei said yesterday while thanking US President Joe Biden for expressing Washington’s firm stance of maintaining peace and stability in the region. Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) met on Saturday for their third meeting and their first talks in seven months on the sidelines of the APEC forum in Lima, Peru. It was likely Biden’s last meeting as president with Xi. During their conversation, Biden reiterated the US’ opposition to any unilateral change to the “status quo” from either
Taiwan would participate in the 2026 APEC summit to be hosted by China after Beijing promised it would ensure the personal safety of attendees, Taiwanese national security sources said yesterday. The APEC Leaders’ Machu Picchu Declaration announced yesterday said that China would host the APEC summit in 2026. Beijing proposed hosting the summit shortly before this year’s gathering began on Friday, a national security official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Many APEC members expressed concerns about China hosting the event and said that prior communication over the decision was insufficient, the official said. Taiwan brought up concerns about legal “guidelines” China announced in
SUPPORT: Arms sales to NATO Plus countries such as Japan, South Korea and Israel only have to be approved by the US Congress if they exceed US$25m The US should amend a law to add Taiwan to the list of “NATO Plus” allies and streamline future arms sales, a US commission said on Tuesday in its annual report to the US Congress. The recommendation was made in the annual report by the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission (USCC), which contained chapters on US-China economic and trade ties, security relations, and Taiwan and Hong Kong. In the chapter on Taiwan, the commission urged the US Congress to “amend the Arms Export Control Act of 1976 to include Taiwan on the list of ‘NATO Plus’ recipients,” referring to
MEET AND GREET: The White House, which called the interaction ‘just a handshake,’ did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether Biden planned to visit Taiwan’s envoy to the APEC summit, Lin Hsin-i (林信義), on Friday invited US President Joe Biden to visit Taiwan. During the APEC Leaders’ Informal Dialogue, Lin, who represented President William Lai (賴清德) at the summit, spoke with Biden and expressed gratitude to the outgoing US president for his contribution to improving bilateral ties between Taipei and Washington over the past four years, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. Lin and Biden exchanged views during the conversation, with Lin extending an invitation to Biden to visit Taiwan, it said. Biden is to step down in January next year, when US president-elect Donald Trump is