China Issues More Bounties for Taiwanese Citizens

TaiwanPlus News

China has issued bounties for two Taiwanese influencers, the latest in an intimidation campaign targeting outspoken critics of Beijing. But the wanted influencers aren't feeling intimidated, and people in Taipei didn't seem to be worried either.

Transcript

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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