00:00Wanted. Two Taiwanese influencers. China says it's offering up to around 30,000 US dollars each
00:08for information leading to their arrest. The two men are known as Bajong and Mingnanlang.
00:14And they're wanted for their part in supporting quote Taiwanese independence.
00:19China claims Taiwan as part of its territory and has not ruled out taking the country by force.
00:25One of the targeted men responded to his wanted notice with snark.
00:29This is just the latest in a series of campaigns to intimidate Taiwan.
00:44China has long sanctioned Taiwan's public figures,
00:47prohibiting them from entering or doing any business in China.
00:51But over the past few months, Beijing has turned up the pressure.
00:55In October, it placed bounties on 18 personnel from the Taiwanese military's psychological warfare unit,
01:02accusing them of spreading what it calls separatist messages.
01:05Near the end of the month, China went after Taiwanese lawmaker Puma Shen,
01:09saying he's also wanted for supporting Taiwan independence.
01:13This latest wanted notice, though, expands the scope of China's pressure campaign,
01:18which is now targeting ordinary citizens.
01:20The mainland affairs council, which manages relations with China,
01:24says the campaign is meant to divide Taiwan.
01:26这种罪行,这种罪行,这种罪行在中共来看,
01:32它其实是不需要证据的,不需要证据的,不需要证据.
01:36它现在选赏说请大家提供证据,
01:39其实这个对他们来说这是根本不必要的,
01:44选赏是做做样子,
01:46然后也制造台湾社会内部的一些对立跟矛盾。
01:53But speaking to people in Taipei,
01:55The wanted posters don't seem to have had the intended effect.
01:59这也是我们台湾的国民啊,
02:04那中国通信他们其实我觉得只是一个意思上面的吧。
02:09虽然他们读的课纲还是什么都是会想,
02:12还是会想要我们台湾统一,
02:13但是百姓还是喜欢安居乐业,
02:16他们不喜欢要打仗起来。
02:18所以其实对他们老百姓来说,
02:20其实也算是假议题。
02:21因为他们如果真的要打仗来,
02:22这是真的,因为10月1号我才去北京回来。
02:24没有,我不知道他们是谁。
02:26China may be expanding the scope of its intimidation of Taiwan,
02:30But the jury is still out on how effective campaigns like this one really are.
02:36Chris Ma and Leslie Liao for Taiwan Plus.
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