Taiwan criticizes China for 'glorifying violence' after commentator attack

Taipei, July 8 (CNA) Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) on Wednesday criticized China for "glorifying violence" after Beijing described the assault on Taiwan-based political commentator Akio Yaita as being motivated by "righteous indignation."

Yaita, CEO of the Indo-Pacific Strategic Thinktank, was punched in the face in Taichung on Monday by a Hongkonger surnamed Liu (廖), in a case Taiwanese authorities have speculated could involve "transnational repression" and China's new ethnic unity law.

In a statement issued Wednesday, MAC, Taiwan's top government agency handling cross-strait affairs, said Beijing had failed to condemn the assault and had instead "glorified violence" by describing it as an act motivated by "righteous indignation."

"What the Chinese Communist Party said today was either a blatant lie or an attempt to treat Taiwanese people as fools," MAC said.

The agency was referring to remarks made earlier in the day by Chen Binhua (陳斌華), spokesperson for China's Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO), who said Liu had acted out of "righteous indignation" and that the incident was an "ordinary" public security case that occurred by chance.

Chen accused the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government of using the incident for "political manipulation" and of distorting the recently implemented Ethnic Unity and Progress Promotion Law to "stir up cross-strait confrontation" and "mislead and intimidate" people in Taiwan.

With Liu now detained by Taiwanese authorities following his arrest, Chen also warned the DPP authorities that Liu's "legitimate rights and interests" should not be harmed, and that the safety of his person and property should be protected.

In its statement, MAC said that in recent years, whenever major social incidents in Taiwan have attracted public attention, TAO has been quick to speak up for the parties or suspects involved, while accusing Taiwan of "political persecution" or "political suppression."

120 cases of transnational repression

Meanwhile, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) told visiting U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth on Wednesday that China has attempted to carry out transnational repression against Taiwanese civil servants, judicial personnel, innocent family members and foreign nationals in Taiwan, with 134 people in 120 cases having been threatened so far.

During the meeting with the Democratic senator, Cho also addressed the attack against Yaita, saying the government would do its utmost to protect the public and foreign nationals in Taiwan, regardless of whether the attacker acted alone or as part of an organized effort, or what his motive and methods were.

He said that in response to China's new ethnic unity law, the Executive Yuan has established an interagency coordination platform and hopes to continue working with the United States to counter China's cross-border pressure and gray-zone actions.

After Yaita was attacked at a hotel in Taichung at around noon on Monday, police later that afternoon arrested Liu at Taichung International Airport as he was allegedly preparing to board a flight to Busan, South Korea.

It remains unclear whether the attack is linked to China's new ethnic unity law, directed primarily at "forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation," given that Yaita is ethnically Japanese, though he has frequently made comments critical of China in recent years as a political commentator.

A district court in Taichung on Tuesday approved a request by prosecutors to detain Liu as the investigation continues.