(TibetanReview.net, Aug09’24) – As China seemingly tightens the noose for its invasion of Taiwan with a rising crescendo of grey zone war tactics, so also does it close in on individuals it deems to be responsible for provoking its moves. The website of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council now includes new sections on the “lawful punishment” of “die-hard Taiwan independence” separatists, listing 10 of them by name.
Earlier, in Jun 2024, China issued judicial guidelines for trying and sentencing to death in absentia what it calls “diehard” advocates for Taiwan independence. “This judicial document surely serves as a blow to President Lai Ching-te and his fellow separatists,” China’s official Xinhua news agency then said Jun 22.
The report said “diehard” advocates of Taiwan independence who are convicted of inciting secession or committing other “serious crimes” may be sentenced to death.
The Jun 21 guidelines, which detail “the criminal nature of ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist acts, their criminal liabilities, and the procedure to impose penalties,” can be regarded as “a refinement and supplement” to China’s 2005 Anti-Secession Law, the report further said.
The guidelines on imposing criminal punishments on diehard “Taiwan independence” separatists for conducting or inciting secession were jointly issued by the Supreme People’s Court, the Supreme People’s Procuratorate, and the ministries of public security, state security, and justice and took effect upon release, said a Xinhua report Jun 21.
The new sections, which appeared on Aug 7, include a list of “Taiwan independence diehards”, namely Su Tseng-chang, You Si-kun, Joseph Wu Jau-shieh, Hsiao Bi-khim, Koo Li-hsiung, Tsai Chi-chang, Ker Chienming, Lin Fei-fan, Chen Jiauhua and Wang Ting-yu.
Su and You are former chairmen of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). Wu is a former head of external affairs, and Hsiao is the deputy head of the island. The rest are all current or former senior officials of the island’s “independence-touting” authorities, said China’s official chinadaily.com.cn Aug 8.
Apart from the list, the sections provide a tip-off mailbox, jubao@suremail.cn, for the gathering of information on the listed “separatists’ criminal activities” and clues on any new “die-hard Taiwan independence separatists” suspected of serious offenses.
Although Taiwan has never been a part of the People’s Republic of China, established by the Communist Party of China on Oct 1, 1949, the party-state has continued to brand the democratically self-governed island as a breakaway province, to be “reunited” with the “motherland”, including by armed invasion, if necessary.
The government of Taiwan was established by the nationalist Kuomintang which fled to the island after its loss to the communists in the civil war in China. The Kuomintang government vowed to return to the mainland to re-establish the Republic of China.
However, the independence-leaning DPP sees Taiwan as a sovereign country already, making the communist rulers of China very angry.