Beijing on Wednesday barred two senior Taiwanese ministers and their families from entering China, Hong Kong, and Macau, accusing them of promoting “Taiwan independence.” The move, which Taipei condemned as intimidation, marks another escalation in the already strained cross-strait relationship.
Beijing Targets ‘Die-Hard Secessionists’
China’s Taiwan Affairs Office labelled Taiwan’s Interior Minister Liu Shyh-fang and Education Minister Cheng Ying-yao as “die-hard Taiwan independence secessionists.” The decision extends to their relatives and follows a growing list of officials Beijing has blacklisted over what it calls separatist activities.
Mainland Affairs Office spokesperson Chen Binhua said the list now includes 14 individuals, among them Taiwan’s Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim, National Security Council head Joseph Wu, and Defence Minister Wellington Koo. Beijing has also accused Chen Shu-yi, a prosecutor with Taiwan’s High Prosecutors Office, of acting as an accomplice in separatist activities and vowed to hold her “accountable for life.”
Chen urged the public to submit evidence about Chen Shu-yi’s alleged actions, promising “severe punishment,” though he did not specify what form that might take. He added that Beijing’s actions targeted only “a small number of Taiwan independence die-hards” and were intended to “safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
Taipei Condemns ‘Threats and Intimidation’
Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council issued a firm protest, calling Beijing’s actions politically motivated and counterproductive. It said the bans severely undermined cross-strait relations and would only “provoke anger among the public.”
“The Chinese Communist authorities are attempting to create a chilling effect beyond the named individuals, coercing Taiwanese people into abandoning their determination to uphold democracy and the status quo,” the council said. It accused China of trying to assert “long-arm jurisdiction” by treating the issue as a domestic criminal matter, despite Taiwan’s separate legal system.
“Threats and intimidation will never shake the resolve of the Taiwanese people to uphold democracy and freedom,” the council added, warning that Beijing must bear “all serious consequences” arising from its actions.
Military Pressure and Broader Context
The announcement comes just a week after China carried out its largest-ever military exercises around Taiwan, firing dozens of rockets and deploying warships and aircraft near the island. The drills disrupted dozens of flights in Taiwan and drew concern from regional allies and Western governments.
Beijing continues to claim Taiwan as part of its territory and has not ruled out the use of force to bring the island under its control. Taipei rejects China’s sovereignty claims, insisting that only the Taiwanese people can determine their future.
The latest bans reflect China’s broader strategy of political, military, and legal pressure on Taiwan, even as it denies targeting ordinary Taiwanese citizens. Analysts say the campaign underscores Beijing’s intent to isolate Taipei internationally while tightening its grip over the narrative on cross-strait relations.
with inputs from Reuters
