China will apply criminal punishments to staunch “Taiwan independence” separatists for carrying out or inciting secession, which allow trial in absentia in relevant cases, according to a series of guidelines published this Friday by the authorities Chinese.
The guidelines, jointly issued by the Supreme People’s Court, the Supreme People’s Procuratorate and the ministries of Public Security, State Security and Justice, will come into force after their publication.
China considers Taiwan its own territory and has made no secret of its dislike of President Lai Ching-te, who took office last month, saying he is a “separatist.” In the same week of its inauguration, China carried out war exercises.
The document details clearly defined circumstances in which a few fanatic “Taiwan independence” separatists, through actions such as organizing, conspiring or carrying out “de jure independence” plans, or seeking independence with foreign support or by force, must be held criminally responsible.
Tension increases
A fleet of more than 30 Chinese aircraft flew over the surroundings of Taiwan during the last 24 hours, a few days after the US Government approved the possible sale of a system of drones and loitering missiles to the island, official sources reported this Friday.
In its last daily report, the Ministry of National Defense (MDN) of Taiwan reported the presence of 36 Chinese war aircraft in the vicinity of its territory, the highest number so far this month, among which were fighter jets. combat, unmanned vehicles and helicopters.
A total of eighteen of those aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait, an unofficial border that had been respected by Taipei and Beijing for decades, and approached just 74 kilometers from the northern city of Keelung, where the a military base, and another 107 kilometers from the western town of Taichung.
Sanctions on US companies
This Friday, China announced sanctions on several companies in the Lockheed Martin group and its directors for selling weapons to Taiwan, something that, according to Beijing, “seriously interferes in China’s internal affairs and seriously damages its sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
On Thursday, China had already condemned the US State Department’s approval of the sale of a combat drone and loitering missile system to Taiwan worth $360.2 million (€335 million). ), ensuring that the Taiwan question is “the red line” between Washington and Beijing.
Their assets in China will be frozen, they will be prohibited from carrying out operations in the country and they will be denied entry into Chinese territory, including Hong Kong and Macau, the Chinese Foreign Ministry stated today in a brief statement.
Foreign spokesman Lin Jian declared on Thursday that the US decision to sell weapons to Taiwan constitutes a “serious violation of the sovereignty and security interests” of China, “seriously harming China-US relations.” .” and “threatens peace and stability” in the Taiwan Strait
Lin noted that this decision “sends the wrong signal to the separatist forces” on the island.
The Taiwan issue is one of the biggest sources of conflict between China and the United States, mainly due to the fact that Washington is Taiwan’s main arms supplier and would be its greatest military ally in the event of a war with the Asian giant.
In recent years, Beijing has intensified its pressure on the island, which it considers a rebellious province since the Kuomintang nationalists retreated there after losing the war against the communist army in 1949. (YO)
