A security official from Taiwan has raised concerns over China’s new Ethnic Unity and Progress Promotion Law, suggesting it could greatly enhance Beijing’s capacity to target its critics internationally. This legislation, which just came into effect, mandates that all Chinese nationals must promote national unity. It further empowers the Chinese government to take legal actions against those accused of fostering division, irrespective of their global location.
The official highlighted that China employs a variety of strategies for transnational repression. These include criminalizing anti-government rhetoric abroad, using threats or punitive actions against the families of dissenters, utilizing international legal tools like Interpol red notices to pursue critics, branding supporters of democracy movements as extremists, and engaging in kidnappings or forced deportations.
Additionally, there are claims that China operates police stations overseas to keep tabs on and exert pressure on its critics in other countries, which raises significant concerns about breaches of international law and diplomatic conventions. This practice has sparked worries about the erosion of international norms and the potential implications for those critical of China’s policies.
In response, Taiwan is taking steps to alert its citizens about the potential dangers associated with traveling to China. It is also bolstering its efforts to counteract activities that could enable foreign interference, aiming to safeguard its citizens and uphold its national security.