Taiwan on Friday expressed “deep regret” over China’s move to impose the death penalty on “diehard” supporters of Taiwan independence and urged its people not to be intimidated by the Chinese regime.
This comes as Chinese Communist Party (CCP) judicial authorities jointly issued guidelines on Friday for imposing punishments on “Taiwan independence separatists” accused of conducting or inciting secession.
The guidelines call on China’s courts, procuratorates, public security, state security, and administrative organs to “severely punish Taiwan independence diehards for splitting the country and inciting secession crimes in accordance with the law.”
The guidelines outline what are deemed to be criminal acts, such as establishing a Taiwan independence secessionist organization, and “attempting to change the legal status of Taiwan as a part of China” through amendments of regulations or a referendum.
Other criminal acts include attempts to promote Taiwan’s membership in international organizations limited to sovereign states, engaging in official exchanges or military contacts with foreign countries, and any other acts aimed at “separating Taiwan from China.”
According to the guidelines, ringleaders or those who played “a significant role in Taiwan independence secessionist activities” could face life imprisonment or a jail sentence of 10 years and above.
It said that “those who cause particularly serious harm to the state and the people and the circumstances are particularly heinous shall be sentenced to death.”
The guidelines also allow for a trial in absentia to be conducted.
Taiwan Says China ‘Has No Jurisdiction’ Over Its People
In response, Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said that Beijing has no jurisdiction over its 23 million citizens and urged its people “not to be threatened or intimidated by the Chinese Communist Party.”“We deeply regret the extremely uncivilized and crude provocation,” MAC said in a statement, warning that the CCP’s actions will “seriously affect” exchanges between people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.
“The Beijing authorities have absolutely no jurisdiction over Taiwan, and the CCP’s so-called laws and norms have no binding force on our people,” the council added.
The CCP has claimed that Taiwan is a renegade province that must be unified with the mainland by any means necessary. This is despite the fact that the island has never been governed by the CCP and has functioned as a self-governing democracy with a democratically elected government since the Chinese Civil War ended in 1949.
“The biggest challenge is to face the powerful rise of China, which is destroying the status quo across the Taiwan Strait and seeing the annexation of Taiwan and the elimination of the Republic of China as its national cause of great rejuvenation,” Mr. Lai said during a military event on June 16, using Taiwan’s official name.
President Lai pledged to bolster the island’s national defense, continue pushing for defense reform, and improve the military’s combat effectiveness. He said his administration also will “stand side by side” with democratic countries to jointly exert deterrence and avoid war.
