Since Jan. 1 last year, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) has received 65 petitions regarding Taiwanese nationals who traveled to China and experienced interrogation, detention or unlawful detainment, MAC Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) said today in a radio interview.
Of the people in the petitions, 52 went missing and had their personal freedoms restricted, with some put in criminal detention, while 13 were interrogated and temporarily detained, he said.
On June 21 last year, China announced “22 guidelines” to punish “die-hard Taiwanese independence separatists,” allowing Chinese courts to try people in absentia.
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The guidelines are uncivilized and inhumane, allowing China to seize assets and issue the death sentence, with potential repercussions for the family and friends of the accused, Chiu said.
This significantly increases the risks for Taiwanese visiting China, he added.
The Chinese Communist Party has also established hotlines to report offenders to the authorities, and with tensions high, there is a risk of people being falsely reported, he said.
Last year, 2.77 million Taiwanese traveled to China, Chiu said, urging Taiwanese to seriously consider the necessity of visiting China, Hong Kong or Macau.
Those who work in government agencies or institutions are often questioned on arrival in China for 30 minutes to four hours, and their suitcases and laptops may be searched, he said.
Academics who support the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) are not exempt from such checks, he added.
Prior to June 21 last year, Chinese officials would notify Taiwanese authorities of such incidents through cross-strait communication channels, Chiu said
Now the council must now rely on missing persons reports from friends and family before approaching Chinese authorities to clarify the situation, he said.
The National Security Bureau previously warned that people who may be categorized as high-risk by the Chinese authorities include former government employees, particularly from national security or intelligence bodies, those who have participated in civil movements or previously criticized China regarding freedom or democracy, and those working on sensitive technologies in the science and technology industry.
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