Taiwan slams Chinese Communist Party sanctions against Taiwanese officials

Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry yesterday slammed the sanctions from the Chinese Communist Party which against Taiwan’s representative to the United States, Hsiao Bi-khim, and six other Taiwanese officials, the Taipei Times reported on Aug. 17.

 From left, Hsiao Bi-khim, Taiwan’s Representative to the United States, Gu Weijun, Secretary-General of the National Security Council (top left), Cai Qichang, Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Yuan (top middle), Ke Jianming, Whip of the DPP (top right), Chen Jiahua, Chairman of the New Power Party (bottom right), Wang Dingyu, Legislator of the DPP (bottom middle), and Deputy Secretary-General of the DPP Lin Feifan (bottom left) in a composite photo. (Photo courtesy of the Taipei Times)

 Taiwan Foreign Ministry spokesman Ou Jiang’an said at a press conference that Communist China has no right to dictate the actions of the Taiwanese. He said that Taiwan, as a democratic country that adheres to the rule of law, will never succumb to the intimidation and threats from a dictatorial regime.

 In addition to the Taiwanese representative to the U.S., Hsiao Bi-khim, the list of sanctions released by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) also includes Gu Lixiong, Secretary General of the National Security Council, Tsai Qichang, Vice Speaker of the Legislative Yuan, Ke Jianming, DPP Whip, Lin Feifan, DPP Deputy Secretary General, Wang Dingyu, DPP legislator, and Chen Jiaohua, Chairman of the New Power Party. The CCP calls those on the list “hardline Taiwan independence separatists”, and those on the list and their family members are banned from entering mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau.

 Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council said that these sanctions from the CCP are “illegal” and “invalid” because Communist China has no authority over Taiwan’s affairs.