Reports of Taiwanese going missing, being detained or interrogated, or having their personal liberties restricted in China has reached 313 since Jan. 1, 2024, data provided by the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) showed.
Last month, 17 Taiwanese were reported missing or detained in China, with half of them still unaccounted for, an informed official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The number of cases has been increasing every month, the official added.
Photo: EPA-EFE
Last year, 221 cases were reported, a four-fold increase from 55 in 2024, MAC data showed.
Of the 313 cases reported from Jan. 1, 2024, through the end of last month, 114 people went missing, 25 were detained or interrogated, and 174 had their personal liberties restricted, the MAC said.
The real number is estimated to be up to three times higher, as many cases are not reported to the authorities, sources said.
In June 2024, China issued a 22-point set of guidelines used to penalize “die-hard” Taiwanese independence separatists, allowing the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to more easily detain or interrogate Taiwanese.
Since then, it has become increasingly risky for Taiwanese to visit China, Hong Kong or Macau, authorities said.
A report by the Chinese Supreme People’s Court and the Chinese Supreme People’s Procuratorate, earlier this month cited the case of Gusa Press (八旗文化) editor-in-chief Li Yanhe (李延賀), commonly known by his pen name Fucha (富察).
Li was convicted of inciting secession and undermining national unity, the report said.
Li was arrested and detained by Chinese national security authorities while visiting relatives in China in March 2023.
The Chinese National People’s Congress described Li’s sentencing as a “punishment for Taiwanese independence die-hards,” an informed official said.
Li was prosecuted without due process and sent to jail, they said.
The official also criticized China’s push for the “Sinicization of religion,” bringing increased risk to Taiwanese who travel to China to take part in religious activities.
Several Taiwanese members of the I-Kuan Tao (一貫道) religious group remain in detention in China, the official added.
As the CCP is officially secular, religious exchanges could be used as a tool for political influence over Taiwan, they said.
Taiwanese should continue to assess the potential risks before traveling to China, they added.
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