Taipei: President Lai Ching-te has called for a "disclosure mechanism" to ensure that central and local government officials maintain transparency and accountability during exchanges with China. Speaking at a news conference at the Presidential Office, Lai emphasized the importance of publicizing exchange information from all government levels, including legislators and village chiefs, to uphold accountability to the people.
According to Focus Taiwan, Lai described China as a "foreign adversary" and addressed this issue following a meeting with senior national security officials focused on countering China's united front infiltration. He urged the Ministry of the Interior (MOI) to establish a similar transparency mechanism for public welfare organizations and religious groups involved in cross-strait exchanges to prevent Beijing's interference.
The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) supported Lai's call, highlighting the Legislature's failure to provide details on legislators handling "confidential matters" who are subject to travel restrictions to China, as required by the Act Governing Relations Between the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area (Cross-Strait Act). MAC Deputy Head and Spokesperson Liang Wen-chieh stated that efforts would be made to coordinate with the Legislative Yuan on this matter, which has yet to be enforced.
The Cross-Strait Act mandates that individuals involved in national security or confidential matters in specific agencies obtain permission from the MOI and MAC before traveling to China. Liang also reported that since January 1, 2024, the MAC has verified reports of 71 Taiwan nationals in China, including six missing, 52 detained, and 13 interrogated. He noted that the actual figures might be higher due to unreported cases or individuals not seeking assistance from the Taiwan government.