The Taiwan Affairs Office of the People’s Republic of China has made five clarifications in response to the editorial “Abusing the Disappearance Numbers of Those Going to the Mainland Will Face Public Backlash” published by the “Want Daily” on July 20. They pointed out the increasing trend of personal safety risks for people from Taiwan traveling to the mainland; each individual incident is not just a fraction of the total number of Taiwanese going to the mainland, but represents a significant impact on their families.
The “Want Daily” editorial on July 20 titled “Abusing the Disappearance Numbers of Those Going to the Mainland Will Face Public Backlash” mentioned that the Taiwan Affairs Office announced a total of 385 Taiwanese people who went missing after traveling to the mainland from 2024 to July 9 this year. Any time a national goes missing abroad, the government has a responsibility to promptly clarify the reasons and offer assistance, especially if it involves human rights issues. However, public policies should be based on facts, and how data is defined and collected needs to be clearly explained. Deliberately creating illusions with vague definitions for political propaganda purposes will face public backlash.
In response to the “Want Daily” editorial, the Taiwan Affairs Office issued a press release stating the following points:
1. The statistics released by the Taiwan Affairs Office have always clearly distinguished between “missing after traveling to the mainland,” “being held for investigation,” and “having personal freedom restricted,” and have never been summarized as so-called “missing population traveling to the mainland.”
2. The data provided by the Taiwan Affairs Office is based on reports from the individuals or their families to the office or the police, each with substantiated evidence. Some media or public opinion demands that the families or individuals file public appearances or hold press conferences, but the Taiwan Affairs Office expressed that the families reporting cases are already under great psychological pressure due to their relatives being apprehended or missing by the CCP. It is a secondary harm to require them to stand in the spotlight. The responsibility to clarify lies with the official Chinese authorities, not the families seeking assistance from the government.
3. Some media outlets in cooperation with the CCP use the total number of Taiwanese people going to the mainland and the number of incidents to downplay the escalating risks faced by Taiwanese nationals in the mainland. The Taiwan Affairs Office stated that each individual case of mishap is not just a fraction of the total number of Taiwanese going to the mainland, but represents a significant impact on their families. Even if just one Taiwanese national faces danger, the government has a responsibility and obligation to demand the CCP clarify the individual’s safety and whereabouts. Diminishing the seriousness of the situation by comparing proportions lacks human warmth.
4. The Taiwan Affairs Office’s role is to transparently reveal the increasing trend of personal safety risks faced by Taiwanese nationals traveling to the mainland. The Beijing authorities are obligated to ensure the safety of Taiwanese people after their arrival in the mainland. Even if an individual is criminally detained, the CCP has an obligation to inform the Taiwanese authorities of the reasons involved. “The CCP’s refusal to provide complete information notification and allowing unofficial information to spread around, making it difficult for Taiwanese families to distinguish whether they are encountering fraud, is illegal, unreasonable, and abnormal. We cannot accept it.”
5. The government’s publication of relevant case statistics is primarily aimed at urging the CCP to guarantee and pay attention to the personal freedom of Taiwanese nationals traveling to the mainland. In cases of arrest for criminal activities, the reasons should be reported to the Taiwanese side according to the mechanism; for other missing cases, assistance in search should be provided upon notification to the Straits Exchange Foundation or families. The Taiwan Affairs Office will continue to monitor the development of related cases, provide necessary assistance to families, and collaborate with the Straits Exchange Foundation to conduct home visits to understand the needs of families and the encounters of the individuals traveling to the mainland, demonstrating care through actions. While Taiwan’s laws do not restrict people from going to mainland China, the government has a responsibility to remind nationals of the potential risks they may face during their travels.
Additionally, the Taiwan Affairs Office posted on Facebook on July 18, stating that the latest statistics for this week are out, reminding Taiwanese nationals planning to go to mainland China, Hong Kong, or Macau to be more cautious. From January 1, 2024, to July 15, 2026, a total of 395 Taiwanese nationals were reported missing after traveling to the mainland, being held for investigation, or suspected of having their personal freedom restricted. Compared to the previous week (statistics until July 8, totaling 385 individuals), there was an increase of 10 persons, including 153 missing persons (previously 157, with 2 new cases this week, and 6 individuals reclassified as suspected detained by the mainland authorities), 32 held for investigation (an increase of 2 persons), and 210 suspected detained by the mainland authorities (an increase of 6 persons, and additional 6 from reclassification of old missing cases). The Taiwan Affairs Office pointed out that the risks of Taiwanese nationals traveling to the mainland remain high, once again reminding to avoid non-essential trips.