TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Mainland Affairs Council has criticized China for convicting Taiwan-based Chinese publisher Li Yanhe (李延賀), calling it suppression of freedom of speech.
The editor-in-chief of Gusa Press, whose pen name is Fucha (富察), was found guilty in February 2025 of “inciting secession” and undermining national unity, per Liberty Times. He was sentenced to three years in prison.
China’s Supreme People’s Court President Zhang Jun said in a work report Monday that the courts would strictly punish “diehard Taiwan independence separatists” and also prosecute crimes such as the smuggling of rare earth resources overseas.
The Mainland Affairs Council responded Monday by saying the CCP’s detention of Li, a cultural figure, was intended to suppress freedom of speech and freedom of publication. It said the case highlights the authoritarian nature of the CCP’s rule and has made Taiwanese cherish their democratic way of life even more.
Li, a Chinese citizen residing in Taiwan, had traveled to Shanghai to visit family. In March 2023, the Chinese authorities detained him on suspicion of “engaging in activities that endanger national security.”
