A senior Taiwanese security official has cautioned that China’s recently enacted Ethnic Unity and Progress Promotion Law may significantly enhance Beijing’s capacity to target critics residing outside its borders. This legislation, which came into force this week, mandates that all Chinese citizens must uphold national unity. It empowers authorities to take legal action against individuals or groups accused of promoting division, irrespective of their geographical location.
The official highlighted five primary strategies that China reportedly employs for transnational repression. These include criminalizing anti-government speech made overseas, intimidating critics by threatening their families, leveraging international legal tools like Interpol red notices to pursue dissidents, designating supporters of pro-democracy movements as extremists, and resorting to abductions or forced repatriations.
Concerns have also been raised about China’s operation of overseas police stations. According to the official, these stations are used to monitor and exert pressure on critics based in foreign countries, potentially breaching international law and diplomatic conventions.
In response to these developments, Taiwan has stated that it is actively working to increase public awareness about the potential risks associated with travel to China. Additionally, it is enhancing its efforts to counter activities that may facilitate foreign interference within its borders.