Beijing says Taiwan’s anti-infiltration bill causing ‘alarm’ for investors
- Island’s ruling DPP using ‘law revisions’ to incite hostility and restrict normal exchanges across Taiwan Strait, policymaking office says
- Draft bill prohibits anyone donating to a political party, influencing elections or otherwise seeking to sway Taiwanese politics on the instructions of ‘infiltration sources’
The legislation is part of a years-long effort to combat what many in Taiwan see as the mainland’s efforts to influence its politics and the democratic process. Beijing claims Taiwan as its territory, to be brought under control by force if necessary.
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Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has begun a renewed push for the legislation, ahead of presidential and parliamentary elections on January 11, and it could be passed before the end of the year.
The draft bill prohibits anyone donating to a political party, influencing elections or otherwise seeking to sway Taiwanese politics on the instructions of or with the financial support of “infiltration sources” – generally taken to mean the mainland.
In Beijing, Zhu Fenglian, spokeswoman for the mainland’s policy making Taiwan Affairs Office, said the DPP had been using such “law revisions” to incite hostility and restrict normal exchanges across the Taiwan Strait.
“In fact for Taiwan’s people, especially Taiwanese businessmen and students, it has already caused alarm and panic that everyone is treated as an enemy,” she said, referring to Taiwanese on the mainland.
Tsai and the DPP have repeatedly said the threat they face from Beijing’s disinformation and meddling is real.
No matter how its tactics changed, the DPP’s aim was to intimidate and punish Taiwanese people who took part in exchanges across the Taiwan Strait, Zhu said.
“They are trying to use this for political gain, but they will neither succeed nor enjoy popular support.”
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With its 1.3 billion people, the Chinese mainland is a favourite investment destination, with Taiwanese companies investing more than US$100 billion there.
Taiwan’s main opposition party, the Kuomintang, which favours close ties with Beijing, has also condemned the proposed legislation, saying it is a “political tool” of President Tsai Ing-wen and her DPP to gain votes while trying to paint them as Chinese Communist Party agents.
Zhu said Beijing had never got involved in what she termed “elections in the Taiwan region”.