The government is considering changes to its law to deter Chinese efforts to intimidate or harm people in Taiwan through proxies after several high-profile attacks exposed gap in the legal system.
Justice Minister Cheng Ming-chien (鄭銘謙) said at a legislative meeting Thursday that the government is working to amend the Anti-Infiltration Act, adding that existing laws are not strong enough to deter and prevent transnational repression, per CNA.
The Anti-Infiltration Act, which took effect in 2020, is a national security law designed to “prevent external forces from infiltrating Taiwan’s democracy,” according to the Mainland Affairs Council. It punishes five types of offenses, including spreading disinformation to manipulate elections at the instruction of, or with financial support from, the CPP.
The amendment would create new offenses specific to transnational repression and allow authorities to confiscate assets tied to such operations, according to the Ministry of Justice. The changes would also establish internet-related mechanisms to stem the effects of repression.
Transnational repression has been prosecuted under statutes covering injury, defamation, intimidation, or invasion of privacy, which generally carry sentences of up to five years in prison, the ministry added.
The Cabinet and DPP lawmakers have proposed close to 30 versions of amendments to the Anti-Infiltration Act to counter CCP repression, PTS reported. In late October, DPP Legislator Chen Pei-yu (陳培瑜) pledged to work closely with opposition parties on a bill that would “protect Taiwan’s sovereignty and the safety of the people.”
Since 2005, the CPP has targeted 131 Taiwanese, subjecting them to intimidation, harassment, and other aggressions, said MAC Deputy Minister Liang Wen-chieh (梁文傑). He added the government plans to set up a hotline for reporting suspected cases.
Comedian Huang Yi-hao (黃逸豪), who was the victim of an alleged Chinese-directed attack, attended Thursday’s meeting. He urged the main political parties to work together on reform, citing a consensus on the urgency of legal changes.
In October, prosecutors indicted five men for allegedly carrying out a car attack on Huang on orders from a Chinese individual. Prosecutors said the goal was to stop him from going on the stage because his performances satirized the party.
Another recent case of Chinese-directed crime involved the son of President Lai Ching-te (賴清德). In early October, the FBI arrested a woman in California on suspicion of spying on Lai Ting-yu (賴廷與) and his family as a Chinese agent. She pleaded not guilty to US federal espionage charges later that month and is waiting for trial.
