The Chinese government has established a set of rules Friday that criminalizes any person or entity with pro-democracy inclinations for Taiwan. This was a follow-up to China’s proposal in 2020 when the CCP announced a global blacklist structure to proscribe Taiwan secessionists.
The rules will work with the global blacklist, banning and imposing lifetime criminal charges to individuals or listed entities. Individuals will then be banned from entering Hong Kong and Macao and barred from engaging in business activity with people or entities in mainland China.
While the list has not been publicized, several prominent pro-independence Taiwanese politicians have already been hinted to be on the blacklist. The Taiwanese affairs office in Beijing has stated that Taiwanese Premier Su Tseng Chang, Legislative Yuan President Yu Shyi Kun, and Foreign Minister Joseph Wu have been problematic. The office has been quoted to be displeased with the pro-independence efforts from these politicians, stating that their actions are “vigorously inciting cross-strait confrontation and malicious attacks against the mainland.”
On a 30th of November statement by the Chinese Ministry of Defence states that the future of Taiwan lies in reunification. A Pentagon report by the U.S. government released on Thursday showed that the Chinese government has expedited expansion on its military presence in the Taiwan Strait. The Taiwanese Ministry of Defence believes these efforts by the CCP are intended to force Taiwan to negotiate reunification status with Beijing by 2027.
The Taiwanese Mainland Affairs Council has released a statement that it will not adhere to the new rules as Taiwan is a “democratic society with rule of law and not ruled by Beijing.” The Council further elaborated that
The Communist Party of China’s unilateral legislation on Taiwan has no binding force on the people of Taiwan, the [party] has always used coercive threats to pressure people who disagree with it. The people of Taiwan will never compromise.
Taiwanese Defence Minister Chiu Kuo Cheng has stated that Taiwan will not be forced into any talks.
