TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) has alerted police to threats against the life of Foreign Minister Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) and his relatives, reports said Thursday (May 11).

MOFA posted an interview Wu gave to French documentary maker Wandrille Lanos on its Facebook page Wednesday (May 10). However, a netizen left a whole series of comments threatening violence against Wu and his family, the Liberty Times reported.

MOFA notified the police Thursday morning and handed over the texts and documents relevant to the investigation, MOFA Spokesman Jeff Liu (劉永健) told a news conference. At the same time, the ministry also stepped up security for Wu and for the MOFA building, he added.

As a democracy, Taiwan welcomed the free expression of ideas, but MOFA would not tolerate personal attacks, threats against individuals and against national security, the dissemination of false rumors, and interference with social order, Liu said. Recent online threats were thought to have originated in China, but most of them targeted public transport, including train stations and airports, as well as high-profile institutions such as the National Palace Museum.