China imposes sanctions on 5 Taiwanese political commentators... Strengthening pressure on Taiwan

Raichinger Sanctions Five Days Before Taiwan President's Inauguration

Cheon Bin-hwa, Spokesperson of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council of China

China has sanctioned five Taiwanese political commentators and is reportedly set to announce legislation to punish 'separatist independence activists.' This move is interpreted as an intensification of pressure just five days before the inauguration of Taiwan's President-elect Lai Ching-te.

According to foreign media on the 15th, Chen Bin-hua, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, China's agency responsible for Taiwan, stated at a regular briefing that "so-called Taiwanese celebrities fabricated false and negative information to incite hostility and confrontation across the Taiwan Strait and hurt the feelings of compatriots on both sides." He added that these five individuals and their families would be sanctioned according to the law.

The five individuals named by China are Huang Shizhong (Huang Shizhong), Li Zhenghao (Li Zhenghao), Wang Yichuan (Wang Yichuan), Yu Beitian (Yu Beitian), and Liu Baojie (Liu Baojie). These commentators frequently appear on broadcasts, and Chinese authorities claim they spread baseless rumors such as "Chinese people cannot afford to eat soy sauce eggs."

China's sanctions are expected to be similar to those imposed in 2021 on three senior officials. At that time, China banned the Taiwanese Premier, Foreign Minister, and Legislative Yuan Speaker, along with their close relatives, from entering mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau.

This move by China is interpreted as a signal that relations with the Taiwan government led by President-elect Lai Ching-te, who will take office early next week, are likely to be as difficult as during the eight-year administration of President Tsai Ing-wen.

Meanwhile, President-elect Lai Ching-te will hold his inauguration ceremony on the 20th and begin his term, succeeding current President Tsai Ing-wen. Since May 2016, when Tsai Ing-wen of the Democratic Progressive Party took office, China has severed official ties with Taiwan and has applied intense military pressure on the island.