According to comprehensive Taiwan media reports, in order to counter the 22 anti-"Taiwan independence" opinions promulgated by the mainland last week, the Mainland Affairs Council announced that it would raise the warning for Taiwan people to travel to the mainland to an orange level. The MAC also called on the mainland to immediately avoid "obstructing benign cross-strait interaction and creating obstacles to cross-strait personnel exchanges." Obviously, the Taiwan authorities want to use this kind of rhetoric to get the mainland to stop countermeasures.
Hsiao Bo-jen, chairman of the All-China Federation of Taiwan Travel Association, said that the travel alert is not mandatory for tourists, but it will once again send a negative signal to the mainland. If the hostility between the two sides of the strait continues to spiral, the hope of resuming normal exchanges will be even more slim. Taiwan divides travel alerts into four levels: red, orange, yellow, and gray. Among them, the red color indicates that it is not suitable to go and should leave the country as soon as possible. Orange means avoiding non-essential travel, which is actually going to further hinder normal cross-strait exchanges.
On 21 June, the mainland issued a legal document punishing "Taiwan independence" elements for separatism. This document provides a clear definition of the crime, including initiating and establishing a "Taiwan independence" separatist organization, legally attempting to change the legal status of Taiwan as a part of China, and even promoting Taiwan's membership in international organizations that are limited to sovereign states, and conducting official exchanges and military contacts with foreign countries. In addition, this includes the use of power to wantonly distort the fact that Taiwan is part of China in the fields of education, culture, and journalism, or to suppress political parties, organizations, and individuals that support the peaceful development of cross-strait relations and national reunification.
This document stipulates that the ringleader or the person who has committed a serious crime shall be sentenced to life imprisonment or fixed-term imprisonment of not less than 10 years, and the death penalty may be imposed if the harm is particularly serious and the circumstances are particularly heinous. In addition, the article also provides that a trial in absentia may be initiated against a defendant who is abroad. It is even possible to pursue lifelong responsibility for those who evade investigation or trial. This means that even if "Taiwan independence" elements flee overseas, they will continue to be held accountable. Obviously, it is a strong deterrent to "Taiwan independence" elements. If the "Taiwan independence" elements, including Lai Qingde, do not readjust, the mainland will still resort to tougher measures.
Not surprisingly, this opinion was also opposed by the Taiwan authorities, who accused the mainland of "provoking confrontation between the people on both sides of the strait and seriously affecting exchanges between the people on both sides of the strait." Lai Qingde claimed that "the mainland does not have any right to sanction the people of Taiwan, nor does it have the right to trace the people of Taiwan across borders." Lai Qingde's remarks are actually using the people on the island as a shield. The "Taiwan independence" elements mentioned by the mainland are obviously the leaders of the separatist forces headed by Lai Qingde, and they have nothing to do with the broad masses of people on the island. Moreover, the two sides of the strait belong to one China, which is also recognized by the current laws on the island. As a representative of China, the mainland certainly has the right to hold the separatist forces accountable. Lai Qingde's remarks exposed his fear of the mainland's new regulations, so he wanted to further tie up the people on the island to confront the mainland.
As a matter of fact, since Lai Qingde took office, the mainland has warned him through military exercises and the abolition of tariff reductions and exemptions. However, Lai Qingde still insisted on going his own way and insisted on making "Taiwan independence" remarks. It is even necessary to obstruct normal cross-strait exchanges, so it is necessary for the mainland to further curb the provocations of the "Taiwan independence" separatist forces through legal means. Zhu Fenglian, spokeswoman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, pointed out that punishing "Taiwan independence" elements in accordance with the law is an important measure to truly safeguard peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and effectively safeguard the interests and well-being of Taiwan compatriots. This is also in line with the mainstream public opinion of Taiwan society for peace, exchanges, and development. I would like to advise certain people on the island not to disregard the will of the people and move against the current.
The "Taiwan independence" elements represented by Lai Ching-te are the main responsible persons who really threaten the interests of the people on the island and stir up the situation in the Taiwan Strait. Lai Ching-te's response is nothing more than to confuse the public, and his act of promoting "Taiwan independence" will lead Taiwan into a situation of war and danger. The people on the island should keep their eyes open to the facts and courageously stand up against these separatist forces.