Taiwan: Taiwan-based political commentator Akio Yaita said Tuesday he would not be intimidated after being assaulted by a man from Hong Kong in Taichung the previous day, calling on authorities to investigate whether the assault involved "political suppression."
According to Focus Taiwan, Yaita, CEO of the Indo-Pacific Strategic Thinktank, took to Facebook early Tuesday to declare his stance against the violence. He stated, "Facing any form of violence or intimidation, I will not retreat or yield." The attack occurred at a Taichung hotel around noon on Monday, where Yaita was punched in the face by a man dressed in black, resulting in a cut lip and loose front teeth.
The police identified a 33-year-old suspect from Hong Kong, surnamed Liu, after reviewing surveillance footage. Liu was arrested at Taichung International Airport around 4 p.m. as he was allegedly attempting to board a flight to Busan, South Korea. Yaita expressed concerns that the incident may not be a simple assault, pointing to similarities with previous attacks on Hong Kongers in Taiwan.
Yaita's remarks alluded to previous paint attacks on a Taipei Muay Thai studio run by Hong Kong activist Tong Wai-hung in November 2025 and February 2026. In those cases, Hong Kong suspects vandalized the studio and left Taiwan soon after. Yaita urged authorities to investigate potential links to the Ethnic Unity and Progress Promotion Law, which took effect on July 1.
Taiwanese authorities have described the case as a possible instance of transnational repression linked to the law, although it remains unclear if the attack is directly connected. Yaita, who is ethnically Japanese, has made critical comments about China in recent years as a political commentator, raising questions about whether the attack involved political suppression of free speech in Taiwan.
Meanwhile, Taichung police released further details about Liu's arrest, noting that he entered Taiwan through Taichung International Airport and stayed at several hotels before the attack. Police said Liu appeared to have observed routes around the hotel and was identified partly by a tattoo on his right hand.
Witnesses reported that Liu spoke with a mainland Chinese accent, prompting police to coordinate with immigration and aviation authorities to prevent his departure. Liu was arrested at the airport 15 minutes before boarding a flight to Busan. The preliminary investigation found no accomplice traveled with Liu, who claimed he had not been instructed by Chinese authorities. However, authorities are still probing whether he had any accomplices in Taiwan.
Liu was questioned at a police station Tuesday morning without a lawyer present and is expected to be transferred to the Taichung District Prosecutors Office later that day.