China slapped sanctions on seven Taiwanese officials and politicians whom Beijing condemned for supporting Taiwanese independence.
The sanctions include entry bans and financial penalties and follow high-profile visits from a U.S. congressional delegation this week and one led by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi earlier this month.
ANOTHER CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION ARRIVES IN TAIWAN AFTER PELOSI VISIT
“For some time, a few diehard separatist elements, out of their own interests, have gone to lengths to collude with external forces in provocations advocating Taiwan independence,” a spokesperson for the Taiwan Work Office of the ruling Communist Party said to Chinese state news agency Xinhua, according to Reuters.
The spokesperson also said that “their activities became all the more egregious during the visit by Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi to China’s Taiwan region, further exposing their obstinate nature in seeking Taiwan independence.”
The latest sanctions affected legislators Tsai Chi-chang, Ker Chien-ming, Koo Li-hsiung, Chen Jiau-hua, and Wang Ting-yu, according to Reuters. Bi-khim Hsiao, who serves a role akin to ambassador to the United States, and activist Lin Fei-fan were also targeted by the sanctions.
As part of the sanctions, the seven officials will be prohibited from traveling to mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macao. Other Taiwanese officials, including You Si-kun (the president of Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan) and Premier Su Tseng-chang, were sanctioned by China last year, according to Reuters.
On Monday, China announced more military drills near Taiwan as Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen met with a U.S. congressional delegation that arrived in Taipei the day before. The delegation included Reps. John Garamendi (D-CA), Alan Lowenthal (D-CA), Don Beyer (D-VA), and Del. Aumua Amata (R-AS), as well as Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA).
Some 30 Chinese warplanes and five vessels were detected in the Taiwan Strait on Monday, Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense announced, CNN reported.
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China has long maintained claims of sovereignty over the island despite Taiwan touting its own government, currency, and military. Foreign visits, including Pelosi’s visit, in which she became the highest-ranking U.S. official to visit Taiwan in over two decades, have rankled China.
China has not ruled out using military force to take control of the island.
