China’s Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) yesterday announced sanctions against five Taiwanese politicians, pundits and public figures critical of Beijing, accusing them of spreading disinformation about China.
The five are: Liu Bao-jie (劉寶傑), Lee Zheng-hao (李正皓), Wang Yi-chuan (王義川), Yu Pei-chen (于北辰), Huang Shih-tsung (黃世聰), TAO spokesman Chen Binhua (陳斌華) told a routine news briefing, adding that the sanctions included their families.
They were responsible for making up and spreading false information about China that “deceived some Taiwanese, sowed division ... and harmed brotherly goodwill across the Strait,” Chen said.
Photo: Liu Hsin-de, Taipei Times
Speech is not free from the regulations of Chinese law, which punishes manufacturing incorrect information, spreading rumors or causing harm to the nation’s interest and honor, he said.
Asked to specify the form of the sanctions, Chen said they would be similar to the punitive measures previously imposed by the Chinese government on supporters of Taiwanese independence.
Beijing’s past sanctions on Taiwanese figures have included banning them and family members from entering China and its territories, doing business or engaging in collaborations in the country, and punitive measures targeting people and entities affiliated with the sanctioned individuals.
Wang, who is director of the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) Policy Research and Coordinating Committee, wrote on Threads that he “is not the first and will not be the last” to draw Beijing’s ire for voicing an opinion.
“The TAO’s use of divisive labels is exactly what harms ties,” he said, adding that the office “claims to welcome dialogue, but simultaneously interferes with the exercise of free speech by Taiwanese.”
Yu, a Taoyuan city councilor and retired army general, told Central News Agency that the Chinese officials were 41 years late in imposing sanctions on him, as he enlisted in the armed forces in 1983.
He added that being recognized by the enemy for opposing communism is the greatest honor he has ever had and better than any medal he received.
Beijing has accused 15 Taiwanese politicians and public figures of separatism since the TAO in 2020 disclosed the existence of a “stubbornly pro-Taiwan independence” list.
The TAO a year later announced sanctions on DPP politicians, including Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu (吳釗燮), then-premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) and then-legislative speaker You Si-kun (游錫?).
In 2022, then-representative to the US Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴), then-National Security Council secretary-general Wellington Koo (顧立雄), legislators Tsai Chi-chang (蔡其昌), Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘), Chen Jiau-hua (陳椒華) and Wang Ting-yu (王定宇), and then-DPP deputy secretary-general Lin Fei-fan (林飛帆) were added to the list.
Beijing imposed augmented sanctions on Hsiao during last year’s presidential campaign, when she was incoming president William Lai’s (賴清德) running mate.
CIVIL DEFENSE: More reservists in alternative service would help establish a sound civil defense system for use in wartime and during natural disasters, Kuma Academy’s CEO said While a total of 120,000 reservists are expected to be called up for alternative reserve drills this year, compared with the 6,505 drilled last year, the number has been revised to 58,000 due to a postponed training date, Deputy Minster of the Interior Ma Shih-yuan (馬士元) said. In principle, the ministry still aims to call up 120,000 reservists for alternative reserve drills next year, he said, but the actual number would not be decided later until after this year’s evaluation. The increase follows a Legislative Yuan request that the Ministry of the Interior address low recruitment rates, which it made while reviewing
WARNING: China has stepped up harassment of foreign vessels after its new regulation took effect last month, an official said, citing an incident in the Diaoyutai Islands The Coast Guard Administration (CGA) yesterday linked China’s seizure of a Taiwanese fishing vessel illegally operating in its territorial waters to Beijing’s new regulation authorizing the China Coast Guard to seize boats in waters it claims. Chinese officials boarded and then seized a Taiwanese fishing vessel operating near China’s coast close to Kinmen County late on Tuesday and took it to a Chinese port, the CGA said. The Penghu-registered squid fishing vessel Da Jin Man No. 88 (大進滿88) was boarded and seized by China Coast Guard east-northeast of Liaoluo Bay (料羅灣), 17.5 nautical miles (32.4km) from Taiwan’s restricted waters off Kinmen,
DETERRENCE: Along with US$500 million in military aid and up to US$2 billion in loans and loan guarantees, the bill would allocate US$400 million to countering PRC influence The US House of Representatives on Friday approved an appropriations bill for fiscal year 2025 that includes US$500 million in military aid for Taiwan. The legislation, which authorizes funding for the US Department of State, US foreign operations and related programs for next year, passed 212-200 in the Republican-led House. The bill stipulates that the US would provide no less than US$500 million in foreign military financing for Taiwan to enhance deterrence across the Taiwan Strait, and offer Taipei up to US$2 billion in loans and loan guarantees for the same purpose. The funding would be made available under the US’ Foreign Military
As eight basketball-playing international students appealed to the Taiwanese basketball industry after they were excluded from the draft of an upcoming new league merging the P.League+ and the T1 League, the new league’s preparatory committee spokesperson Chang Shu-jen (張樹人) yesterday said the committee would tomorrow discuss the supplementary measures and whether the international students can join the draft. The students on Tuesday called for support on their right to play in the upcoming new league, after a merger involving the two leagues impacted their eligibility for the draft. The international players from the University Basketball Association (UBA), led by first pick prospect