A Taiwanese has been detained and interrogated in China on suspicion of spreading and developing the religion of I-Kuan Tao (一貫道), an official familiar with the issue said.
I-Kuan Tao has been developing in Taiwan for years and has attracted millions of followers internationally, including some Taiwanese businesspeople based in China, the source said.
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) vigorously suppressed I-Kuan Tao in the early days of its rule, but later became more tolerant of its development in China and did not label it a cult like Falun Gong (法輪功), the source said.
Photo: Reuters
However, the Chinese government has begun to keep a close eye on the Taiwanese I-Kuan Tao organizations in China since the beginning of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s (習近平) third term, they said.
Beijing continues to interrogate and find faults with Taiwanese traveling to China and repeatedly violates the personal safety of Taiwanese I-Kuan Tao followers, the source said.
The government received a report from a follower, who said that when entering China, they were detained and interrogated by the Chinese authorities for several days without warning, he said.
The follower was annoyed about being subjected to an investigation while they had done nothing illegal, he said.
It was unusual for Beijing to accuse Taiwanese travelers of spreading and developing I-Kuan Tao and to look into their past activities in China and their membership in Line groups on phones, the source said.
Taiwanese government information shows that Chinese officials have often accused Taiwanese religious figures of using secret religious societies, cult organizations and superstitions to undermine law enforcement, which carries severe penalties.
For example, a I-Kuan Tao follower was imprisoned by China for carrying dozens of scriptures. Another Taiwanese was suppressed by Chinese authorities for promoting Kuanyin Buddhism (觀音法門) in China.
Beijing used to be lenient with I-Kuan Tao activities, which were allowed as long as they were reported in advance and had no Chinese participators, he said.
The CCP is growing more wary of organized civil activities, he said.
The tightly knit organization and relatively secretive meetings of I-Kuan Tao is causing serious concerns for Chinese officials, who have ended up tightening controls considerably, he said.
Beijing maintains a bottom line for everything. In this case, no Chinese citizens can take part in I-Kuan Tao activities, the source said.
The bottom line now appears to be extreme, leading to complete bans on every matter of concern, he said, warning that Taiwanese religious figures should be careful when traveling to China.
China has reserved offshore airspace in the Yellow Sea and East China Sea from March 27 to May 6, issuing alerts usually used to warn of military exercises, although no such exercises have been announced, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported yesterday. Reserving such a large area for 40 days without explanation is an “unusual step,” as military exercises normally only last a few days, the paper said. These alerts, known as Notice to Air Missions (Notams), “are intended to inform pilots and aviation authorities of temporary airspace hazards or restrictions,” the article said. The airspace reserved in the alert is
NAMING SPAT: The foreign ministry called on Denmark to propose an acceptable solution to the erroneous nationality used for Taiwanese on residence permits Taiwan has revoked some privileges for Danish diplomatic staff over a Danish permit that lists “Taiwan” as “China,” Eric Huang (黃鈞耀), head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Department of European Affairs, told a news conference in Taipei yesterday. Reporters asked Huang whether the Danish government had responded to the ministry’s request that it correct the nationality on Danish residence permits of Taiwanese, which has been listed as “China” since 2024. Taiwan’s representative office in Denmark continues to communicate with the Danish government, and the ministry has revoked some privileges previously granted to Danish representatives in Taiwan and would continue to review
The first bluefin tuna of the season, brought to shore in Pingtung County and weighing 190kg, was yesterday auctioned for NT$10,600 (US$333.5) per kilogram, setting a record high for the local market. The auction was held at the fish market in Donggang Fishing Harbor, where the Siaoliouciou Island-registered fishing vessel Fu Yu Ching No. 2 delivered the “Pingtung First Tuna” it had caught for bidding. Bidding was intense, and the tuna was ultimately jointly purchased by a local restaurant and a local company for NT$10,600 per kilogram — NT$300 ,more than last year — for a total of NT$2.014 million. The 67-year-old skipper
China has reserved offshore airspace over the Yellow Sea and East China Sea from March 27 to May 6, issuing alerts that are usually used to warn of military exercises, although no such exercises have been announced, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on Sunday. Reserving such a large area for 40 days without explanation is an “unusual step,” as military exercises normally only last a few days, the paper said. The alerts, known as notice to air missions (NOTAMs), “are intended to inform pilots and aviation authorities of temporary airspace hazards or restrictions,” the article said. The airspace reserved in the alert
RSS