China sanctions 'independence diehards'

BEIJING/TAIPEI • China yesterday imposed sanctions including an entry ban on seven Taiwanese officials and lawmakers whom it accused of being "independence diehards", drawing condemnation from the democratically governed island.

The sanctions come after United States House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan earlier this month, a trip that China said had sent a wrong signal to what it views as pro-independence forces. Her visit was followed by that of five US lawmakers on Sunday and Monday.

China considers Taiwan a breakaway province to be reunified, by force if necessary. Taiwan's government disputes China's claim.

China's Taiwan Affairs Office said that among those sanctioned were Taiwan's de facto ambassador to the United States, Ms Hsiao Bi-khim; secretary-general of Taiwan's National Security Council, Mr Wellington Koo; and politicians from Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

A Taiwan Affairs Office spokesman said those sanctioned would not be able to visit China, Hong Kong and Macau. Companies related to them would also not be allowed to profit in China.

"For some time, a few die-hard separatist elements, out of their own interests, have gone to lengths to collude with external forces in provocations advocating Taiwan independence," Chinese state news agency Xinhua cited the spokesman as saying. "They have deliberately instigated confrontations across the Taiwan Strait, and recklessly undermined peace and stability in the region."

The spokesman added: "Their activities became all the more egregious during the visit by Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi to China's Taiwan region, further exposing their obstinate nature in seeking Taiwan independence."

China carried out military exercises around Taiwan this month, deploying scores of planes and firing live missiles in the Taiwan Strait after Mrs Pelosi's visit.

In response to the sanctions, Taiwan's Foreign Ministry said yesterday that the island is a democracy that "could not be interfered with by China".

Ministry spokesman Joanne Ou said: "Even more, we cannot accept threats and menace from authoritarian and totalitarian systems."

The sanctions will have little practical impact as senior Taiwanese officials do not visit China.

The Mainland Affairs Council, Taiwan's China policymaking body, said Beijing was trying to "create antagonism and anxiety".

Taiwan's government says only the island's 23 million people have the right to decide their own future.

DPP deputy secretary-general Lin Fei-fan, one of the seven sanctioned, said it was an honour to be added to the sanctions list. "I think that in this era, being sanctioned by an authoritarian regime should be a decoration for members of the free world, and it is very glorious," he wrote on his Facebook page.

The seven were in addition to Taiwan Premier Su Tseng-chang, Foreign Minister Joseph Wu and Parliament Speaker You Si-kun who were previously sanctioned by China.

REUTERS