China has imposed sanctions on seven Taiwanese officials for supporting Taiwan independence. The country’s state media reported this on Tuesday.
China’s tensions with the island came after US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan earlier this month. China has repeatedly warned against Taiwan’s independence movement. In continuation of this, this time, China has banned seven Taiwan independence officials.
China rejects the sovereignty claims of democratically autonomous Taiwan.
China’s state-run Xinhua news agency said those authorized by China’s Taiwan Affairs Office included Taiwan’s ambassador to Washington, Hsiao Bi-Khim, and Wellington Ku, secretary-general of Taiwan’s National Security Council.
Politicians from Taiwan’s ruling political party, the Democratic Progressive Party, are also on the blacklist.
A spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office said those banned could not travel to China, Hong Kong and Macau. Their related companies and investors will also not be able to share profits from China.
The seven are Taiwanese Premier Su Tseng-chang, Foreign Minister Joseph Wu and Parliament Speaker Yu Hsi-kun. Also included in this list are those who have previously received Chinese bans.
(16 Aug)