On February, the general convener of the Kuomintang faction, Fulanxi, and the Hualien County Magistrate, Xuzhenwei, led a delegation to Hong Kong. During the trip, a female member of the delegation was arrested upon entry. Chairperson of Mainland Affairs Council, Qiuchuizheng, stated that Ms. Chen was arrested in Hong Kong on the grounds of violating Hong Kong criminal law. He expressed hope that the Hong Kong government would clarify the situation to avoid harming civil exchanges between Taiwan and Hong Kong.
Taiwan’s think tank hosted a seminar on “Xi Jinping’s Authoritarian Model and Governance Thinking” today. During his speech, Qiuchuizheng mentioned, “In recent years, the expansion of the CCP’s authoritarianism has become increasingly aggressive towards Taiwan, posing a major challenge to our national security.” He later addressed media questions regarding the recent arrest of a delegation member during Fulanxi’s visit to Hong Kong.
Qiuchuizheng stated that the Mainland Affairs Council was informed early on about the Hualien resident’s participation in a travel fair in Hong Kong, where she was arrested by the Hong Kong police upon entry. According to information from the appointed lawyer, she was arrested on charges of violating Hong Kong criminal law, had a court hearing, and has not been released on bail.
The Mainland Affairs Council continues to monitor the case. Qiuchuizheng urged the relevant authorities in Hong Kong to clarify the situation promptly after completing the necessary legal procedures to safeguard Ms. Chen’s judicial rights and prevent further harm to civil exchanges between Taiwan and Hong Kong. The Mainland Affairs Council and personnel stationed in Hong Kong will continue to provide necessary assistance to the family.
In response to external concerns about whether this incident involves political factors, Qiuchuizheng stated that based on current information, it is related to money laundering and not reasons related to national security. However, the entire case should be explained by the Hong Kong government, as the public is also highly concerned about this matter. The Mainland Affairs Council has activated emergency assistance mechanisms to help the family.
Furthermore, addressing the issue of the Ministry of Examination and the Ministry of Education previously cooperated with the Mainland Affairs Council to require public servants to sign a statement confirming they have not obtained Chinese mainland identity cards, Qiuchuizheng mentioned, “There have been cases of public servants applying for identity documents from the mainland. Therefore, the government hopes to promote checks on whether public servants have obtained identity cards, residence permits, or passports from mainland China. If so, they will lose their qualifications as public servants.”
Qiuchuizheng emphasized, “Due to previous incidents, we use this statement to have everyone declare that they have not applied for any illegal documents related to mainland China, to demonstrate their loyalty to the country’s obligations.”
In addition, the CPC announced a defense budget of 1.78 trillion yuan for this year on the 5th, drawing media attention to the military threat to Taiwan posed by the CPC. Qiuchuizheng stated that the CPC’s military aircraft and ships’ threats to Taiwan are becoming increasingly severe, accompanied by a rising density of joint combat patrol. These are the main sources of unrest in the Taiwan Strait and regional instability.
Qiuchuizheng mentioned, “In addition to military threats, the CPC employs various forms of pressure, including diplomatic intimidation, economic coercion, social infiltration, legal warfare, a series of cognitive operations, and gray zone disturbances. The government is prepared, strengthening its self-defense capabilities and determination, implementing actions against infiltration and united front activities to ensure national security, social stability, and the people’s well-being. Please rest assured.”