Taiwan slams China's new reporting section as interference

Taipei, March 27 (CNA) The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) on Thursday criticized Chinese authorities for a newly launched online reporting section targeting "Taiwan independence" advocates and their accomplices, calling it "a full-scale interference in Taiwan's internal affairs."

By setting up the new reporting section and later publicly naming individuals reported, China "not only wants to interfere in Taiwan's politics, but also in its judiciary," MAC Deputy Head and Spokesperson Liang Wen-chieh (梁文傑) said at a regular news briefing in Taipei.

"It also proves that it is necessary for Taiwan to remain vigilant in all areas," Liang added.

His remarks came after China's Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO), the MAC's counterpart across the Taiwan Strait, announced the launch of a new reporting section on its official website Wednesday morning.

According to China's state-run Xinhua News Agency, the new section allows people to report "vile acts by those advocating 'Taiwan independence' and their accomplices in persecuting Taiwan compatriots."

TAO Spokesperson Chen Binhua (陳斌華) said that certain organizations, government officials, and online influencers have acted as enforcers of "Taiwan independence" and their accomplices, "abetting wrongdoing and facilitating aggression," the Xinhua report read.

Later in the evening, the TAO issued a news release saying that as of 5:00 p.m., it had received a total of 323 emails reporting individuals for "vile acts" such as "threatening to disband patriotic pro-unification groups and openly infringing on the legitimate rights of Chinese spouses in Taiwan."

Individuals reported included Interior Minister Liu Shyh-fang (劉世芳), Prosecutor Lin Ta (林達) of the Taipei District Prosecutors Office, and Youtubers Pa Chiung (八炯) and Chen Po-yuan (陳柏源).

Liang said there appeared to be a "connection" between the individuals reported and the "vile acts" listed.

In the case of Lin, he suggested the report might be linked to his frequent handling of national security cases, which could be interpreted as "deliberately detaining individuals who support the peaceful development of cross-strait relations."

As for Liu, Liang said she may have been listed for "threatening to disband pro-unification groups," as the Ministry of the Interior has announced that it will formally ask the Constitutional Court to legally dissolve the Chinese Unification Promotion Party.

Pa Chiung and Chen Po-yuan are linked to accusations of "infringing on the legitimate rights of Chinese spouses," Liang added.

The two YouTubers have been central figures in recent incidents advocating the deportation of three Chinese spouses over their pro-"military unification" remarks.

Liang said the reason the TAO compiled the list was to portray "the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) as a protective shield for pro-unification forces on the island [referring to Taiwan]."

Before the launch of the new reporting section, "the CCP intimidated politicians, scholars, and cultural figures like Fu Cha (富察)," Liang said, adding that its scope has since expanded to include ordinary citizens, online influencers, and even prosecutors.

Such a move also echoed remarks made by Wang Huning (王滬寧), chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, during the annual work conference on Taiwan affairs in late February, Liang said.

At the time, Wang said that Chinese authorities must "firmly support pro-unification forces on the island," according to Liang.

Fu Cha, founder of Taiwan-based Gūsa Publishing, was recently sentenced to three years in prison by Chinese authorities for inciting secession, two years after his arrest in Shanghai.