Beijing’s top anti spy agency vowed on Monday to fight “Taiwan independence” and expand public support for peaceful reunification.
Minister of State Security Chen Yixin said in a Monday article in the Study Times, a newspaper published by the Central Party School, that mainland China’s top intelligence agency would “resolutely fight any form of Taiwan independence moves, counter interference from foreign forces, and punish Taiwanese skewer who act as the vanguard of ‘Taiwan independence’ in accordance with the law”.
“[We must] try our utmost to promote reunification, strengthen the power of patriotic and pro-unification forces, and broaden the public opinion base for peaceful reunification,” it said.
The article also called on Beijing’s secret service agencies to “help advance the reunification of China”.
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Chen’s article, published just weeks before the inauguration of Taiwanese president-elect William Lai Ching-teis the second time this year that Beijing’s top anti-spy body has issued a public warning to the island’s separatist forces.
In January, just before the island’s presidential election, the Ministry of State Security said in an article that it would “strike to curb the ‘Taiwan independence forces’” and accused Taipei’s intelligence agencies of being “hitmen” for these forces.
The January article also revealed that the ministry had organized several operations in 2018 and 2020 to detain Taiwanese spies, resulting in the dismantling of several espionage networks set up by Taipei against Beijing.
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Lai, a member of the independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party, is expected to take office on May 20.
Beijing has repeatedly accused Lai of being a “stubborn separatist”.
Beijing sees Taiwan as part of China, to be reunified by force if necessary. Most countries, including the United States, do not recognize Taiwan as an independent state, but Washington opposes any attempt to take the self-ruled island by force and has pledged to poor Taiwan.
In recent years, Beijing has made public several cases in which Taiwanese citizens were deemed to have threatened national security.
In April last year, Beijing announced that publisher Li Yanhe was under investigation for allegedly “endangering national security” after Taiwanese media reported that he had disappeared after traveling to Shanghai to visit his family that March.
The publishing house founded by Li is known for books critical of Beijing’s human rights record.
In August 2022, state security authorities in Wenzhou in the eastern province of Zhejiang detained Taiwanese politician Yang Zhi-yuan on suspicion of engaging in separatist activities. It was one of several actions Beijing took in response to a Taiwan visit by then US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Beijing has yet to release an update on the case since Yang was formally prosecuted in April of last year.
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China executes scientist for spying in 2016, among 10 ‘shocking’ cases revealed in documentary
China executes scientist for spying in 2016, among 10 ‘shocking’ cases revealed in documentary
In Monday’s article, Chen also vowed that the ministry would continue to guard against “color revolutions” and manage ideological risks online and at universities.
The article added that mainland China’s counter-espionage agencies would protect “traditional security”, encompassing political, economic and military security, as well as “non-traditional security” – a term that includes biosecurity, data security and artificial intelligence.
Chen added that the ministry would continue to crack down on terrorism.
Beijing’s intelligence agencies have carried on a massive propaganda campaign for more than a year, warning of the threat posed by foreign spies and urging the public to share information about suspicious activities.
Tags: Mainland Chinas top spy agency vows fight Taiwan independence ahead William Lais inauguration
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