Beijing will crack down over Taiwan’s ‘crazy yet futile’ spy attempts: Communist Party mouthpiece
- People’s Daily commentary urges Taiwan’s intelligence community to steer clear of pro-independence moves
- Taiwanese encouraged to visit the mainland and experience its ‘prosperity and development’
Mainland Chinese media said the espionage activities increased from more than 100 in 2018 to several hundred this year.
“The spike in the number reflected a crazy yet futile effort by the Taiwan authority to do all sorts of infiltration and damage in mainland China,” the commentary said. It said those intelligence activities had become a tool for Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen to attack people with differing political views.
“We urge the intelligence agencies in Taiwan not to be kidnapped by the ‘Taiwan independence’ mindset, which would only lead to devastating results. Tsai and her government only see the interests of their own party instead of the interests of people across the strait, let alone the welfare of the intelligence workers.
“Otherwise, our national security organs have firm will, full confidence and sufficient ability to resolutely crack down and punish any infiltration and sabotage activities by Taiwan’s intelligence agencies in accordance with the law. “
Taiwan hits back at ‘malicious’ Beijing over spy claims
Besides issuing a stern warning to Tsai and intelligence activities targeting China, the commentary also called on people who supported unification to visit the Chinese mainland.
“For people who support the eventual unification, please visit the Chinese mainland more often if you have opportunities, to discard the narrow ‘pro-independence’ mindset touted by the Tsai administration and experience the prosperity and development by yourself,” it said. “The door of the homeland is always open to you.”
A poll done by the Pew Research Centre in May found the view of mainland China by Taiwanese was mostly negative.
“Among those who identify solely as Taiwanese, there is little enthusiasm about the mainland. Favourable views of the US among this group are three times higher than toward mainland China (75 per cent vs. 23 per cent). But, among those who identify as both Chinese and Taiwanese, majorities have favourable views of both the US and mainland China,” the centre said.
A short history of the one-China policy, bedrock of Sino-US ties
Beijing sees the self-ruled Taiwan island as a breakaway province awaiting unification, by military means if necessary.
