China sending officials abroad to intimidate harass Taiwanese, says Taiwan Security Bureau

Taipei [Taiwan] December 18 : China has assigned two to four individuals specialising in Taiwan issues to its embassies in various democratic nations to observe and intimidate Taiwanese, actions that the host countries are unlikely to accept, National Security Bureau (NSB) Director-General Tsai Ming-yen stated, as reported by Taipei Times.

Tsai made these remarks during a session of the legislature's Foreign Affairs and National Defence Committee, which requested him and Minister of National Defence Wellington Koo to discuss potential conflicts in the Taiwan Strait and military readiness.

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Michelle Lin voiced worries that Beijing has dispatched personnel from China's Taiwan Affairs Office to its embassies abroad to surveil and intimidate Taiwanese businesspeople, expatriates, and exchange students, according to the Taipei Times report.

Tsai acknowledged that China occasionally sends two to four staff members with expertise in Taiwan issues to its foreign embassies, although he could not specify the countries involved. The bureau is keeping an eye on the situation and working with local authorities to ensure that Chinese officials do not harass Taiwanese citizens overseas, Tsai mentioned, as cited by Taipei Times.

Taiwanese individuals in those countries should remain safe since many of them are democracies, where law enforcement and security agencies would not accept Chinese officials threatening individuals' safety or violating diplomatic norms, he stated. Tsai also noted that it would be challenging for China to impose its jurisdiction across borders.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is looking into the matter and discussing the best ways to alert the public, Tsai remarked. DPP Legislator Chen Chun-yu inquired whether Taiwan should further enhance intelligence sharing with allied nations in the first island chain. According to Tsai, Taiwan has engaged in nearly 100 bilateral meetings with leaders of national security agencies from 45 different countries this year.

The NSB employs various methods of strategic communication and intelligence exchange to stay informed about developments, including meetings with national security officials from around the globe, he added.

Lawmakers also expressed apprehension about whether China's aggressive tactics might extend toward nations supportive of Taiwan, following China's decision to impose sanctions on the former chief of staff of the Joint Staff of the Japan Self-Defence Forces, Shigeru Iwasaki, who was appointed as a political adviser to the Cabinet in March. Tsai indicated that China frequently seeks to suppress or intimidate individuals who support Taiwan or endorse Taiwanese independence. While the countries would not yield to Chinese pressure, they would stand united to denounce its provocative actions, which jeopardise human rights and regional stability, he mentioned, as noted by the Taipei Times report.

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