Between January and last month, 94 cases related to the “personal safety” of Taiwanese businesspeople in China were recorded, the Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) said yesterday.
Such cases include funeral arrangements and death compensation, restrictions on personal freedoms due to legal disputes, medical evacuations and issues involving lost or expired documents, the foundation said.
The figure represents a slight decline compared with the same period last year.
Photo: CNA
Separately, four Taiwanese members of the I-Kuan Tao (一貫道) religious group, all older than 70, remain in detention in China and are likely to face prosecution, it said.
The SEF is a semi-official agency set up by the Taiwanese government to handle civil and business affairs with China, but it does not have its own offices there.
In emergencies, it relies on local Taiwanese business associations to collect information and provide immediate support to affected people and their families, it said.
It also coordinates with its Chinese counterpart, the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits, to help coordinate with the Chinese authorities when necessary.
Many cases involve business secrets or personal data, so details cannot usually be disclosed publicly, the foundation said.
While individual cases sometimes change, such as a person initially reported as “missing” later confirmed to have been arrested, its statistics do not retroactively update those classifications, it said.
The nature and causes of “missing” cases also vary, it added.
Some cases involve only a temporary loss of contact with family, while others concern people who have been detained without their relatives being informed, it said.
Once a family becomes aware of a detention, arrest, trial or house arrest, the nature of the case changes, it added.
After accepting a case, the foundation said it immediately reaches out to the person or their family to gather details and offer assistance.
Depending on the circumstances, the SEF might also issue reminders or anonymous warnings to other Taiwanese businesspeople living or working in China, it said.
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