Taipei: Two Taiwanese prosecutors were interrogated by Chinese state security personnel during a visit to China’s Henan Province in early January, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) revealed on Thursday. The incident has raised concerns about the security of Taiwanese officials traveling to China.
According to Focus Taiwan, the Chinese state security officers possessed detailed personal information about the prosecutors, including their assignments, work locations, and job titles. Liang Wen-chieh, deputy head and spokesperson of MAC, disclosed this information at a news briefing in Taipei. The officers questioned the prosecutors about their roles and the Cross-Strait Joint Crime-Fighting and Judicial Mutual Assistance Agreement, a framework designed for Taiwan-China cooperation in crime fighting and judicial assistance.
The officers requested the prosecutors to add them on the messaging app WeChat to maintain contact. However, the prosecutors declined and were not threatened during the questioning, Liang stated. He added that there have been instances where Chinese authorities used a Taiwanese individual’s relatives in China to exert pressure.
Liang mentioned that the prosecutors were relatively new and had not been involved in cases concerning national security or Chinese espionage. He speculated that Beijing could obtain such information through various infiltration channels in Taiwan, including potential cyberattacks.
The prosecutors promptly reported the incident upon returning to Taiwan. MAC mandates that public servants file relevant travel information and report any unusual situations after visiting China. Liang emphasized the importance of vigilance among public servants, warning that Chinese authorities exploit their lack of risk awareness to expand infiltration networks targeting Taiwan.
Liang also referred to reports from Jan. 16, stating that public servants from central government agencies had been questioned by Chinese state security during trips to China. He clarified that the prosecutors’ cases were distinct from those earlier reports.