The death penalty or prison for supporters of Taiwan’s independence. This is what a judicial recommendation from the Chinese government that came into force on Friday June 21 promises. The new rule directly targets the Progressive Democratic Party re-elected last January and its supporters.
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With our correspondent in Taipei, Adrien Simorre
THE ” crime of secession » had been defined by Chinese law in 2005, it now has a sanction: From ten years in prison to the death penalty for “ seasoned Taiwanese separatists ”, in the words of the Chinese government.
Taipei immediately reacted, assuring that Beijing “ has no legal authority over Taiwan “, and that these directives do not in fact ” no binding nature for our people “. According to state media, this new rule is a direct response to the inauguration speech of the new Taiwanese president Lai Ching-telast month.
The leader of the Democratic Progressive Party then affirmed that Taiwan was already an independent country. A known and public position, but unbearable for the Chinese Communist Party, which considers that the island, governed autonomously since 1949, is part of Chinese territory. Since then, China has increased its economic, legal, but also military pressure on Taiwan.
Saturday June 22 again, 41 Chinese military planes and seven ships were detected around the archipelago. Of these 41 devices, “ 32 crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait », According to a press release from the local Ministry of Defense.
The new rule regarding the crime of secession adds to the concern of hundreds of thousands of Taiwanese who live in or regularly visit the neighboring giant. On Taiwanese television today, commentators called on Taiwanese involved in politics to no longer go to China.
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