TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Mainland Affairs Council urged Taiwanese working in China to exercise caution after Beijing’s new law promoting ethnic unity took effect Wednesday.
The council’s Deputy Minister Liang Wen-chieh (梁文傑) said the Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress contains vague legal concepts that could criminalize positions such as supporting Taiwan’s status quo, per CNA. He made the remarks before a seminar on the law’s impact on Taiwan held by the Asia-Pacific Elite Interchange Association.
Liang said the legislation does not clearly define what acts would “undermine ethnic unity and progress,” creating uncertainty over how it could be applied. He said views supporting separate sovereignty between Taiwan and China could potentially be interpreted as offenses under broad definitions.
Concerns over the law extend beyond Taiwan, with countries including Japan and the US monitoring its possible use against overseas communities, CNA reported. Liang said some observers believe the measure could facilitate cross-border repression, making it a development that requires close attention.
Taiwanese traveling to China for short visits may face fewer risks, but those working or residing there long-term should be more cautious, Liang said. He recommended that Taiwanese government employees avoid unnecessary travel to China, citing previous cases in which officials were questioned as a sign they could be targeted.
