Sun, Jul 21, 2024 page2

• NSC urges caution over extradition fears

  • By Su Yung-yao and Esme Yeh / Staff reporter, with staff writer
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  The National Security Council (NSC) have established a system to evaluate the risk of a country extraditing or repatriating Taiwanese to China, a government official said yesterday.

  After China last month promulgated guidelines which included the death sentence for “diehard” independence advocates, concerns were raised over whether there are countries that would cooperate with Beijing to send travelers from Taiwan to China.

  The NSC has called for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and relevant agencies to hold meetings to discuss the issue, as Taiwanese are keen to travel abroad during the summer vacation.

  

  A woman walks toward the departure hall at Taipei International Airport (Songshan airport) on July 1.

  Photo: CNA

  Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said there are countries likely to comply with China’s request and divided nations into five categories according to potential risk, a government official who chose to remain anonymous said.

  One of the categories consists of nations that have amiable and close relations with China, especially those that uphold Beijing’s “one China” principle.

  Two categories cover nations that have relevant agreements with China: The 65 nations that have signed a mutual legal assistance treaty in criminal matters, and the 17 nations that have signed an extradition treaty with China.

  Another category includes the 14 nations that have extradited or repatriated Taiwanese who were accused of fraud to China.

  The last category lists 17 nations that have allowed Beijing to pressure Taipei at overseas missions since January’s presidential election.

  Lin also encouraged public awareness in the countries and regions frequently visited by Taiwanese, as listed by the Ministry of Transportation and Communications’ Tourism Administration.

  An NSC official said that not all the nations are high risk, but Taiwanese are advised to increase awareness when visiting those that are listed in more than one category.

  For example, countries that have signed an extradition or mutual legal assistance treaty with China, or support Beijing’s “one China” principle might not be democracies governed by the rule of law, and might not adhere to the principle of non-extradition of political offenders and the principle of double criminality, they said.

  These countries are likely to send Taiwanese to China, against the internationally common practice that an act is only extraditable if it constitutes a crime in both the requesting and requested countries, the official said.

  To avoid any unnecessary diplomatic disputes, diplomatic agencies would not name the countries that are high risk, because China might take advantage of the situation, they said.

  Taiwanese can make their own judgements based on the indicators, the official said, adding that the ministry has ordered overseas missions to enhance their protection of Taiwanese visitors to ensure they are not sent to China.

  Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Hsu Szu-chien (徐斯儉) has invited 22 envoys to Taiwan to discuss how to enhance Taiwan’s international support, the official said.

  The Mainland Affairs Council last month announced an “orange” travel warning for China, Hong Kong and Macau, following many Western countries’ advising people not to make unnecessary trips to China, they said, adding that South Korea also has a “orange” travel warning for China.
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