TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Mainland Affairs Council on Thursday said Taiwanese traveling to China will continue to face risks when Beijing's new ethnic unity law takes effect next week.
The Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress is set to take effect on Wednesday, per CNA. The council’s Deputy Minister Liang Wen-chieh (梁文傑) said the law contains vague provisions that make it difficult for people to know what conduct is permitted.
Liang said the law is intended to intimidate people into self-censorship and has drawn international concern. He said foreigners could be targeted for supporting Taiwan or discussing Tibet and Xinjiang, while Taiwanese already face the possibility of unfounded charges from Beijing.
He cited Taiwanese democracy activist Lee Ming-che (李明哲) and publisher Li Yanhe (李延賀) as examples of what he described as Beijing's imposition of fabricated charges on Taiwanese, CNA reported. "Whether this law exists or not, we (Taiwanese) face the same risks," Liang said.
Liang also addressed recent comments by AIT Director Raymond Greene, who said that most Taiwanese support maintaining the cross-strait status quo while preserving deterrence and dialogue, according to CNA.
Liang added that Beijing's goal has become increasingly clear and that is to make Taiwan part of China.
