Recently, the Chinese Communist authorities announced their intention to “discipline” five “Taiwanese media personalities” and their families. The Straits Exchange Foundation responded on Thursday (16th), emphasizing that freedom of speech and diverse perspectives are core values of Taiwan’s democratic freedom.
On May 15th, the Taiwan Affairs Office of the Chinese Communist Party specifically mentioned that they would severely punish Taiwanese media personalities including Huang Shicong, Yu Beichen, Liu Baojie, Li Zhenghao, and Wang Yichuan, along with their families, through “disciplinary legal measures.”
In the afternoon of the 16th, the Straits Exchange Foundation held a briefing session, with Deputy Secretary-General Cai Mengjun pointing out that freedom of speech and diverse perspectives are the embodiment of Taiwan’s democratic values. The actions taken by Beijing are “hard to accept” for the Taiwanese people, deepening negative perceptions and suspicions towards the mainland.
Cai Mengjun believed that such actions are detrimental to the positive development of cross-strait relations, and called on the Chinese Communist Party to understand Taiwan’s pluralistic democracy and freedom, emphasizing goodwill and practicality for fostering positive interactions between the two sides.
On the 15th, Presidential spokesperson Lin Yuchan stated that Taiwan is a democratic country where the freedom of speech of its people is constitutionally protected. The Chinese Communist Party has no authority to interfere, and in the face of such threats, the government will ensure the safety of its citizens and not allow such intimidation to succeed.
In response to the so-called “disciplinary measures” by the Chinese Communist Party, retired Major General and Taoyuan councilor Yu Beichen commented to the Epoch Times on the 15th, stating that the mention took place 40 years too late. He expressed that his lifelong anti-Communist stance was known since he joined the military at 15 years old, indicating the incompetence of the Communist Liberation Army or the Taiwan Affairs Office to only name him now, suggesting a delay.
He underscored, “This should be called delayed glory, showing that I have chosen the right path. My determination against Communism will not waver just because I have taken off my uniform, so this is a lifelong honor.”
Liu Baojie and Huang Shicong also responded on the evening of the 15th in the talk show “Critical Moment.”
Host Liu Baojie pointed out in the evening program that China’s (Communist Party) open threats of disciplinary action have previously targeted individuals with pro-Taiwan independence stances, although he himself does not have any evident position.
Regarding the Taiwan Affairs Office of the Chinese Communist Party accusing them of “ignoring the facts of mainland China’s development and progress, deliberately fabricating false and negative information about the mainland, and widely disseminating it through television, the internet, newspapers, and other media,” Liu Baojie directly asked fellow program guest Huang Shicong, “What is China (the Communist Party) afraid of?”
Huang Shicong responded, saying that he and Liu Baojie were named because they crossed the “red lines” that the Chinese Communist Party fears the most.