MAC condemns China's sentencing of Taiwanese activist

Taipei, Sept. 5 (CNA) Taiwan strongly condemns the decision by a Chinese court to sentence Taiwanese activist Yang Chih-yuan (楊智淵) to a nine-year prison term on charges of secession, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said on Thursday.

"The government and [Yang's] family reject this ruling. The government expresses its strong condemnation and demands that the verdict and the evidence on which it was based be made public," MAC deputy head and spokesperson Liang Wen-chieh (梁文傑) said at a press conference.

The MAC made the statement after Chinese media reported that Yang, who was detained by authorities in Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province on Aug. 3, 2022, had been sentenced to a nine-year prison term.

"Based on our current knowledge, Yang Chih-yuan was sentenced by the Wenzhou Court and is currently in Wenzhou. The government will remain in close contact with his family," Liang said.

Born in 1990 in Taichung, Yang had served as vice chairman of the Taiwan National Party, a fringe political party advocating Taiwan independence, since 2019.

Following Yang's detention in 2022, China's CCTV reported that he had been taken into custody by the state security bureau on charges related to his activities in support of Taiwan independence, endangering national security.

CCTV said at the time that Yang had long advocated Taiwan independence and established the "illegal" Taiwan National Party to advocate Taiwan becoming a sovereign and independent country and gaining membership in the United Nations.

Because of those actions, CCTV said, Yang was suspected of committing and inciting the crime of secession, but the government-run media outlet did not offer any other details of Yang's activities, including in the People's Republic of China.

In comments made last month, the MAC's Liang disputed the allegations against Yang, saying that he had not been involved in political activities "for quite some time."

"Before his arrest, he was teaching Go in China and participating in some Go competitions," Liang said, adding that it was "quite absurd" for someone like him to be labeled as a leading Taiwan independence advocate.