TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Mainland Affairs Council warned Monday that five groups could face greater risks when traveling to China after new entry and exit rules take effect Tuesday.
CNA reported that the groups include Taiwan businesspeople in China, corporate executives, semiconductor and high-tech workers, lower-level government employees, and certain religious figures. Deputy Mainland Affairs Council Minister Shen Yu-chung (沈有忠) urged people in these groups to register their travel information online before visiting China.
Shen said the number of people questioned, detained, or reported missing in China has risen in recent years. He described the increase as unusually large compared with previous years.
China’s new regulations on entry and exit management take effect Sept. 15. Shen made the remarks before a Taipei forum examining the risks and possible effects of the measures.
Central Police University professor Wang Chih-sheng (王智盛) said the rules could pose particular risks to people in high-tech industries. He said businesspeople and technology workers may draw attention from Chinese authorities because they have access to sensitive technical information, per CTS News.
Wang said some travelers could be prevented from leaving China or pressured to provide information before being allowed to depart. He said this could create greater uncertainty for people traveling there for technology-related business.
The measures could also affect other travelers, Wang said. Chinese authorities may demand electronic information from mobile phones, computers, or social media accounts if they believe it is linked to national security.
Wang said travelers may not know what authorities consider a security concern. Information involving relatives who express support for Taiwan, participation in international organizations, or religious beliefs could lead to further scrutiny.
Taipei District Court Judge Hsu Kai-chieh (許凱傑) said China has already imposed similar restrictions under laws such as its revised Counter-Espionage Law. He said the latest regulations add another layer of controls involving technology and exports, per PTS News.
Hsu said the rules could give Chinese authorities broader legal grounds to restrict both entry and departure. Officials could block people they consider troublesome from entering China while also preventing people viewed as important from leaving, he said.
