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Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers have introduced a resolution denouncing China after reports suggested that China intends to pursue legal action against DPP Legislator Puma Shen on allegations of promoting "secession." The proposal argues that China's escalating pressure campaign represents a direct attempt to undermine Taiwan's democratic processes and intimidate its elected officials, as reported by The Taipei Times.
According to The Taipei Times, the DPP caucus, China's threats amount to an unacceptable intrusion into Taiwan's internal affairs and pose dangers not only to national security but also to the stability of the wider rules-based global system. The caucus urged legislators from all parties to issue a strong, unified rejection of China's move to criminalise Shen's political duties and instil fear among the Taiwanese public. The resolution makes clear that China has no legal authority over Taiwan and therefore cannot restrict or punish Taiwanese citizens using its own laws. The motion states that the constitutional freedoms enjoyed by people in Taiwan are inherent and cannot be dictated by the political whims of the Chinese government. Under the proposal, lawmakers would commit to reinforcing measures aimed at boosting national defence, strengthening ties with like-minded democracies and safeguarding Taiwan's sovereignty priorities previously. China's accusations against Shen stem from a report by China's state-run Xinhua news agency, which claimed he is under investigation by the Chongqing Municipal Public Security Bureau for activities linked to "secession," including his role in establishing Kuma Academy, a civil defence training group. In a further escalation last week, Chinese authorities issued wanted notices for YouTuber Wen Tzu-yu, known as Pa Chiung, and rapper Chen Po-yuan, accusing them of engaging in "separatist acts" by publicly criticising China, as cited by The Taipei Times. DPP Legislator Rosalia Wu said the resolution was brought forward partly because Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu of the KMT declined to release a bipartisan statement condemning China's actions. Wu stated that procedural barriers might still prevent the motion from being included on the legislative agenda. She stated that Taiwan's parliament cannot ignore China's attempts to silence political critics beyond its borders, especially when the UN has labelled such cross-border repression a form of human rights abuse. Wu said lawmakers have a responsibility to defend the rights and freedoms of Taiwanese people before the wider international community, as reported by The Taipei Times. (ANI)
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