The sentencing yesterday of Li Yanhe (李延賀) in China underlines China’s autocratic rule and the dangers Taiwanese who travel there face, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said in a statement following an announcement by China’s Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) that the Taiwan-based publisher had been sentenced to three years in prison for “inciting secession.”
The MAC said that it has been monitoring Li’s situation since he was arrested in 2023, but refrained from making public comments out of respect for his family.
Li, who is also known by his pen name Fucha (富察), is editor-in-chief of Taiwan-based Gusa Press (八旗文化).
Photo: screen grab from Facebook
Chinese authorities gave no information to Taipei or Li’s family about the allegations he faced, evidence for the supposed offense or the status of the legal proceedings against him, the council said.
The TAO claimed that there was a public trial, yet the outside world heard nothing about it until Monday last week, the MAC said.
China did not announce Li’s verdict and sentence until yesterday and only begrudgingly, the MAC said.
Beijing internally celebrated Li’s case as an example that would have a chilling effect on dissidents, it said, adding that Chinese protests that its judiciary was being slandered by Taiwan have no justification.
Li was sentenced to three years in prison, fined 50,000 yuan (US$6,890) in personal assets and deprived of his political rights for one year for “inciting secession” in China, TAO spokesman Chen Binhua (陳斌華) said earlier yesterday.
The Shanghai First Intermediate People’s Court announced the verdict on Monday last week, Chen said.
The trial was conducted lawfully, and in an open and fair manner, he said, adding that the verdict has since taken legal effect.
The defendant reportedly admitted guilt and would appeal within the statutory appeal period, he said, adding that the defendant and his family have been clearly informed about the sentence.
During the execution of the sentence, authorities would ensure that the rights of the defendant and his family are protected in accordance with the law, Chen said.
As a spokesman, he is unwilling to disclose further details, he said.
Chen also accused the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) of repeatedly bringing up the case in an attempt to slander and discredit China’s judicial system.
Li was born in China’s Liaoning Province. He obtained Taiwanese citizenship after living in the nation for many years.
He returned to Shanghai in March 2023 to cancel his household registration, but was arrested, most likely because Gusa Press has published books that are critical of China’s government.
In April 2023, Beijing confirmed that Li had been detained “on suspicion of engaging in activities endangering national security.”
Since then, China has never publicly announced the progress of Li’s trial, apart from saying last week that he had been convicted in a “public sentencing.”
Gusa Press said in a statement that the staff of the publishing house were “saddened” by Li’s imprisonment, but would wait for the return of their chief editor.
In addition, the TAO announced a new reporting portal for people to inform authorities about “malicious acts” by Taiwanese independence “thugs and accomplices.”
The home page of the TAO’s Web site features a floating pop-up box for a “reporting special column,” which leads to another page with an e-mail address for “victims of persecution” to contact.
Chen accused the DPP of “fabricating charges to suppress different opinions on the island, shutting down freedom of speech ... and suppressing” advocates for developing relations with China.
The reporting portal comes after Taiwan revoked the residency permit of a Chinese influencer who had advocated unification by military means and ordered her to leave Taiwan by Tuesday.
Additional reporting by CNA and Reuters
The US government has signed defense cooperation agreements with Japan and the Philippines to boost the deterrence capabilities of countries in the first island chain, a report by the National Security Bureau (NSB) showed. The main countries on the first island chain include the two nations and Taiwan. The bureau is to present the report at a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee tomorrow. The US military has deployed Typhon missile systems to Japan’s Yamaguchi Prefecture and Zambales province in the Philippines during their joint military exercises. It has also installed NMESIS anti-ship systems in Japan’s Okinawa
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
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