Renowned Taiwanese comedian Huang Yihao has been targeted by Chinese nationals across borders for his performances that mock the Chinese Communist Party leader, Xi Jinping, resulting in acts of violence including vandalism and car collisions.
On October 21st, the New Taipei District Prosecutors Office officially charged 5 Taiwanese accomplices. In response, Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council and the Democratic Progressive Party condemned these actions, criticizing the Chinese authorities for extending their repressive tactics into Taiwan’s arts and culture sphere, suppressing freedom of speech.
According to reports from various Taiwanese media outlets, the 44-year-old Huang Yihao uploaded a short video titled “Insulting Xi individually is not as good as insulting Xi collectively” on social media in December last year, directly addressing sensitive topics such as Xi Jinping’s self-coronation and obtaining a doctoral degree after primary school, which sparked a strong response from netizens. Subsequently, he planned to hold a solo performance at the Kami Club on May 29th and 30th this year.
However, this satirical script attracted retaliatory actions from the Chinese authorities. On May 29th, Huang Yihao was maliciously vandalized by unidentified individuals at the venue. Following an investigation by the New Taipei District Prosecutors Office, it was found that suspects Liu Shengjie and Guo Weihao were incited by Chinese forces deliberately causing disturbance.
The Chinese Communist Party did not stop there. On September 11th, Huang Yihao was hit by a car near his residence.
The New Taipei District Prosecutors Office revealed that this “fake car accident” was orchestrated by a Chinese individual known as “K” who spent 450,000 Taiwanese dollars to hire a former Taiwanese private investigator, Zheng Boxuan, to ensure that Huang Yihao was seriously injured and hospitalized to prevent him from performing on September 20th.
Subsequently, Zheng Boxuan and another defendant, You Huijie, planned to carry out the assault using a staged car accident method; You Huijie then commissioned Huang Jiaqing to execute this plan, providing an initial payment of 90,000 yuan for the car purchase. Huang Jiaqing then involved Fan Chonghao and Liao Bencheng in the operation.
On September 8th, Huang Jiaqing and Fan Chonghao acquired the vehicle used in the crime, and on the 9th and 10th, they conducted reconnaissance around Huang Yihao’s residence in Yonghe District, New Taipei City.
In the morning of September 11th, Huang Jiaqing drove with Fan Chonghao and Liao Bencheng to the scene to lay in ambush. The three men agreed that Huang would be the driver to ram into the target, Fan would monitor the target’s movements at the entrance of the alley, and Liao would be responsible for filming from the passenger seat as evidence for the Chinese benefactor to verify the results later.
Around 4:54 p.m. on the same day, Fan Chonghao noticed Huang Yihao returning on a motorcycle and immediately signaled Huang Jiaqing to ram him forcefully. Fortunately, due to hearing Huang Yihao’s cries of pain, Huang Jiaqing hesitated during the collision and ultimately fled, leaving Huang Yihao with only a right pelvic injury, avoiding serious harm.
On October 21st, the New Taipei District Prosecutors Office issued a press release stating that Zheng Boxuan and 5 other defendants were formally charged with attempted serious bodily harm. The prosecution strongly condemned the 5 suspects for “betraying the national democratic line” and sought prison sentences ranging from 2 years and 7 months to 5 years and 6 months.
Regarding this shocking overseas hired violence case, the Mainland Affairs Council expressed strong condemnation of the Chinese Communist Party’s violent cross-border oppression against the Taiwanese people.
The Mainland Affairs Council pointed out that not only does the Chinese Communist Party suppress dissent within its borders, it also extends its repressive hand across borders, attempting to stifle freedom of speech in Taiwan, thus seriously challenging Taiwan’s democratic and legal order.
The Mainland Affairs Council issued a solemn warning, stating that “anyone who accepts instructions, commissions, or inducements from the Chinese Communist Party or its collaborators to participate in or assist cross-border repression will be held accountable by law without leniency or tolerance.”
The Democratic Progressive Party’s China division also harshly criticized the CCP’s thuggish behavior in a Facebook post.
The Democratic Progressive Party stated that the CCP’s pressure tactics range from espionage and political sanctions to violent intimidation, targeting not only political figures, foreign officials, their families, and businesses but also extending to ordinary Taiwanese citizens and groups. The fact that even artists and cultural workers are subjected to violent attacks for criticizing Chinese Communist Party leaders underscores the threat of cross-border oppression to free societies.
The Democratic Progressive Party warned the Beijing authorities to immediately cease all forms of cross-border oppression and despicable threats against the Taiwanese people. The safety and freedom of speech of the Taiwanese people will not tolerate any arbitrary infringements by foreign forces.