China has accused Taiwan’s spy agencies of stepping up efforts to steal intelligence with the aim of “infiltration” and “sabotage,” and warned Taipei against further damaging already strained cross-strait ties.
The relevant agencies in Taiwan must end such activities immediately, state-run Xinhua news agency said yesterday, citing China’s Taiwan Affairs Office spokesman An Fengshan (安峰山).
Chinese state television on Saturday started broadcasting first in a series of programs detailing cases in which Chinese students studying in Taiwan are said to be targeted by Taiwanese spies who lure them with money, love and friendship.
The allegations came as China ramps up efforts to encourage Taiwanese to settle in China permanently, with new residency cards and other inducements.
The government has warned Taiwanese in China to be careful of the risks involved living in an autocratic country with Internet censorship and other drawbacks.
Taiwan and China frequently trade accusations of spying.
A former Chinese student studying in Taiwan, Zhou Hongxu (周泓旭), was last year sentenced to prison for collecting sensitive information through contacts in Taiwanese schools and government departments, and for trying to build a spy network.
Taiwan started to allow Chinese students at its universities in 2009.
China has never renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan within its fold, a prospect of which Taiwan is often reminded, with Chinese warships and fighter jets periodically pressing close to the nation.
China has also lured away some of the few nations with diplomatic ties with Taipei.
However, as Beijing further isolates Taiwan, Taipei is discreetly nurturing security ties with regional powers by sharing intelligence of Chinese military deployments, sources have told Reuters.
The Taiwanese passport ranked 33rd in a global listing of passports by convenience this month, rising three places from last month’s ranking, but matching its position in January last year. The Henley Passport Index, an international ranking of passports by the number of designations its holder can travel to without a visa, showed that the Taiwan passport enables holders to travel to 139 countries and territories without a visa. Singapore’s passport was ranked the most powerful with visa-free access to 192 destinations out of 227, according to the index published on Tuesday by UK-based migration investment consultancy firm Henley and Partners. Japan’s and
NATIONAL SECURITY THREAT: An official said that Guan Guan’s comments had gone beyond the threshold of free speech, as she advocated for the destruction of the ROC China-born media influencer Guan Guan’s (關關) residency permit has been revoked for repeatedly posting pro-China content that threatens national security, the National Immigration Agency said yesterday. Guan Guan has said many controversial things in her videos posted to Douyin (抖音), including “the red flag will soon be painted all over Taiwan” and “Taiwan is an inseparable part of China,” while expressing hope for expedited “reunification.” The agency received multiple reports alleging that Guan Guan had advocated for armed reunification last year. After investigating, the agency last month issued a notice requiring her to appear and account for her actions. Guan Guan appeared as required,
Japan and the Philippines yesterday signed a defense pact that would allow the tax-free provision of ammunition, fuel, food and other necessities when their forces stage joint training to boost deterrence against China’s growing aggression in the region and to bolster their preparation for natural disasters. Japan has faced increasing political, trade and security tensions with China, which was angered by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s remark that a Chinese attack on Taiwan would be a survival-threatening situation for Japan, triggering a military response. Japan and the Philippines have also had separate territorial conflicts with Beijing in the East and South China
A strong cold air mass is expected to arrive tonight, bringing a change in weather and a drop in temperature, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The coldest time would be early on Thursday morning, with temperatures in some areas dipping as low as 8°C, it said. Daytime highs yesterday were 22°C to 24°C in northern and eastern Taiwan, and about 25°C to 28°C in the central and southern regions, it said. However, nighttime lows would dip to about 15°C to 16°C in central and northern Taiwan as well as the northeast, and 17°C to 19°C elsewhere, it said. Tropical Storm Nokaen, currently
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