Mainland authorities no help in search for Taiwanese rights advocate
Lee Ming-che has not been heard from since entering Zhuhai from Macau on March 19
Taiwan has received no response from mainland authorities on the whereabouts of a Taiwanese human rights advocate, whom his relatives and friends think might have been detained by security agents for supporting human rights on the mainland.
Lee Ming-che, 42, a former Democratic Progressive Party staffer who works at Taipei’s Wenshan Community College, went missing following his entry to Zhuhai through Macau on March 19.
“We have sought information regarding [Lee’s] whereabouts through established channels in a bid to ascertain his safety,” said Chiu Chui-cheng, the vice-chairman and spokesman for Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council.
He said the organisation had received no response from mainland authorities, including the Taiwan Affairs Office under the State Council and the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait (Arats), which represent the central government in dealing with Taiwan.
MAC officials said both Macau’s government and police confirmed that Lee entered Zhuhai from the customs check point at about 11.51am on March 19.
However, Lee has not been heard from since then, and there is no record of him checking into any hotel in Zhuhai or being arrested there.