Taipei: 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 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.
According to Focus Taiwan, 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 stated that certain organizations, government officials, and online influencers have acted as enforcers of “Taiwan independence” and their accomplices, “abetting wrongdoing and facilitating aggression,” as per the Xinhua report.
Later in the evening, the TAO issued a news release indicating it had received 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.” Notable individuals reported included Interior Minister Liu Shyh-fang, Prosecutor Lin Ta of the Taipei District Prosecutors Office, and YouTubers Pa Chiung and Chen Po-yuan.
Liang noted a “connection” between the individuals reported and the “vile acts” listed. In the case of Lin, the report might relate to his frequent handling of national security cases, which could be seen as “deliberately detaining individuals who support the peaceful development of cross-strait relations.” Regarding Liu, Liang mentioned she may have been listed for “threatening to disband pro-unification groups,” as the Ministry of the Interior plans to formally ask the Constitutional Court to legally dissolve the Chinese Unification Promotion Party.
Pa Chiung and Chen Po-yuan are accused of “infringing on the legitimate rights of Chinese spouses,” as they have been pivotal in recent incidents advocating the deportation of Chinese spouses over pro-“military unification” remarks. Liang suggested that the TAO compiled the list to depict “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,” Liang said, noting that the scope has expanded to include ordinary citizens, online influencers, and even prosecutors. This move aligns with remarks made by Wang Huning, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, during the annual work conference on Taiwan affairs in February, when he emphasized the need to “firmly support pro-unification forces on the island.”
Fu Cha, founder of Taiwan-based Gusa Publishing, was recently sentenced to three years in prison by Chinese authorities for inciting secession, two years after his arrest in Shanghai.