Taiwan Issues China Travel Advisory as CCP Enforces Revised State Secrets Law

Taiwan Warns Citizens About Traveling to China as CCP Implements New State Secrets Law

May 3, 2024 TruthUSA

Taiwan authorities have advised its residents to avoid traveling to China due to the increased risk of being wrongfully detained under Beijing’s updated state secrets law.

“The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) urges the public to refrain from visiting China unless absolutely necessary,” stated the Taipei-based agency on April 30, a day before the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) implemented the expanded state secrets law, as per reports.

On February 27, Beijing introduced an amendment to the Law on Guarding State Secrets, which broadened the definition of “state secrets” by including a new category called “work secrets,” as detailed in a report.

The MAC identified that these provisions on work secrets are “very ambiguous and unpredictable” and could lead to individuals inadvertently breaking the law, particularly affecting foreign journalists and businesses.

The MAC highlighted four actions that could potentially violate the new state secrets law when visiting China: conducting interviews, academic research, gathering business/investment information, and engaging with locals.

“Any dialogue content or data collected that could be deemed detrimental to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) could be labeled as ‘involving state secrets’ by the CCP,” cautioned the MAC.

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Due to the uncertainty surrounding the state secrets law and the lack of transparency in the CCP’s legal system, the MAC emphasized that the risk of Taiwanese individuals unwittingly violating the law has “significantly increased” and advised careful consideration before visiting mainland China.

The MAC stated that the amended law would heighten risks for overseas institutions and companies operating and investing in China.

Tsai Ming-yen, the director-general of Taiwan’s National Security Bureau, highlighted that the amendments grant substantial authority to investigators to interpret the law, giving the CCP greater political control.

“The broad scope of ‘secrets’ without detailed explanations, along with the extensive powers granted to investigators to interpret breaches, are major concerns,” stated Mr. Tsai during a press briefing, as per Taiwan broadcaster Radio Taiwan International.

“Moreover, the emphasis on following the Party’s leadership in national security work provides more room for political influence by the CCP,” he added.

‘Fabricated Charges’

The MAC criticized the CCP for continually using legislative methods to closely monitor visitors to mainland China, noting that cases of Taiwanese and other foreigners being detained on false charges are not uncommon.

In recent years, the Chinese regime has detained multiple Taiwanese citizens amid escalating tensions with Taiwan. The CCP considers Taiwan as part of its territory to be reclaimed forcibly if necessary, with its leader Xi Jinping pledging to achieve “reunification” with the island nation despite not having governed it.

One prominent case is that of pro-democracy activist Lee Ming-che, who disappeared in China in 2017 and later received a five-year prison sentence on “subversion” charges, as reported by news outlets. Mr. Lee returned home in 2022.

Another notable incident involves political activist Yang Chih-yuan, who was arrested in 2022 right after U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan, leading observers to describe the case as “hostage diplomacy,” as detailed in reports on The Epoch Times.

The CCP’s “hostage diplomacy” extends beyond Taiwan and includes other nations like the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Japan, where individuals have been detained in retaliatory actions, such as the high-profile case involving Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig, following the arrest of Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou by Canada at the U.S.’s request.

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