China says Taiwanese man arrested over ‘secessionist activities’

ISTANBUL

China on Wednesday said a Taiwanese man was arrested over “suspicion of Taiwan independence secessionist activities.”

Zhu Fenglian, a spokeswoman for China’s Taiwan Affairs Office of State Council, said: “No one trying to challenge the law can escape the punishment of the national law.”

She was speaking about the arrest of Yang Chih-yuan, a Taiwanese man, who has been arrested in eastern Zhejiang province’s Wenzhou city “on suspicion of Taiwan independence secessionist activities,” Chinese daily Global Times reported.

Yang, 33, has been in Chinese detention since last August but was formally arrested “a few days ago”, China’s Supreme Prosecutor’s Office said Tuesday.

Born in Taichung in 1990, Yang “has been a long-time advocate of ‘Taiwan independence’, and colluded with others to establish an illegal organization with the aim of ‘pushing for Taiwan to become a sovereign state and join the United Nations’,” the report said.

Zhu also confirmed an ongoing probe against a Taiwan-based publisher, identified as Li Yanhe, who is popular by his pen-name ‘Fucha’.

China’s national security authority is investigating Li “on suspicion of engaging in activities damaging national security,” she said.

“Related authorities will fully guarantee his legal rights according to law,” the spokeswoman added.

Li had traveled to China early this month where he went “missing.”

Born in China, he relocated to Taiwan in 2009 and established Gusa Press, publishing books deemed as “critical” of Beijing.

Authorities in Beijing have also arrested a Chinee journalist Yuyu Dong who is facing "espionage charges," according to the US-based National Press Club, which called for his release.

Yuyu was detained on Feb. 21 "while having lunch with a Japanese diplomat ... The diplomat was also detained," the club said Monday. "On March 23, 2023, Yuyu's family learned his case had been sent to court for trial."

Zhu said Beijing will host a forum on Friday to commemorate the 30th anniversary of a meeting held in April 1993 between the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits, headed by Wang Daohan, and the Straits Exchange Foundation, led by Koo Chen-fu, based on the 1992 Consensus.

“The Wang-Koo meeting and its achievements have effectively promoted the improvement and development of the ties between the two sides across the Taiwan Straits,” she said.

“Under the current circumstances in the Straits, learning from the 1993 meeting, firmly upholding the 1992 Consensus and sticking to the right direction of peace and development of the two sides’ relations is the best way to commemorate the meeting,” Zhu added.

The term “1992 Consensus” relates to a historic meeting on cross-strait relations between semi-official representatives of China and Taiwan that year.

Beijing’s concern over Taiwan has grown due to Taipei’s increased engagement with the US since former President Donald Trump’s tenure.

China considers Taiwan a “breakaway province” but Taipei insists on its “independence” since 1949. The latter has managed to establish diplomatic relations with at least 13 nations.