Taiwan-based publisher sentenced to 3 years for inciting secession in China

Taipei, March. 26 (CNA) Li Yanhe (李延賀), the founder of Taiwan-based Gūsa Publishing, has been sentenced to three years in prison by Chinese authorities for inciting secession, according to Beijing's Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO).

At a press briefing on Wednesday, TAO spokesperson Chen Binhua (陳斌華) said that Li, better known by his pen name Fu Cha (富察), was sentenced to three years in prison after the Shanghai First Intermediate People's Court found him guilty of "inciting to split the country."

At the same time, Li was deprived of political rights for one year, with CNY$50,000 (US$6,889) of his personal property confiscated, Chen said, adding that Li did not appeal and the ruling was thus final.

The spokesperson said Li's family had been notified of the situation, but he made no mention of the defendant's state of health or his whereabouts.

Li, a Chinese national with residency in Taiwan, was arrested two years ago and placed under investigation by Chinese state security officials, shortly after arriving in China to visit his family and deal with residency-related issues.

It remains unclear what Li did that led to his charges and conviction.

Born in 1971 in the Chinese province of Liaoning, Li is married to a Taiwanese woman and has held residency in Taiwan since 2013.

In 2009, Li founded Gūsa, a publishing house that is affiliated to the Book Republic Publishing Group, in Taipei. The publisher has over the years printed books that often criticize the Chinese Communist Party and touch upon issues considered taboo by the party.

Li's detention in 2023 sent shockwaves through the cultural and book publishing sectors, with more than 350 scholars, authors and cultural figures issuing a joint statement calling for his immediate release while expressing concern about the chilling effect the case might have on the sectors.

The case also raises questions about the risks Chinese spouses of Taiwanese nationals face when seeking permanent residency in Taiwan, as Li is believed to have returned to China to rescind his household registration.

Under the Act Governing Relations between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area, a Chinese spouse must provide proof of having revoked their Chinese household registration when applying for permanent residency in Taiwan, or within three months of acquiring such status.

If they are unable to provide proof, their permanent residency will be revoked after three months.

On Wednesday, Gūsa said in a statement that the staff of the publishing house were "saddened" by Li's imprisonment but will wait for the return of their chief editor.

In a separate statement, an informal group that has been monitoring Li's case said it "strongly condemns" the Chinese authorities for "illegally detaining and punishing Fu Cha."

The group, led by veteran journalist Lee Chih-te (李志德), called on Beijing to release Li immediately so he can be reunited with his family in Taiwan.