Reference News Network November 17 report: The Taiwan Mei Hua News on November 15 published an article titled "Mainland Strikes Against 'Taiwan Independence' with Legal Sword," authored by Associate Research Fellow Tsai Hsien of the Taiwan International Strategy Association. The content of the article is as follows:
Lai Ching-te openly supported Shen Bo-yang, a legislator from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) who has been wanted by the mainland, which quickly sparked attention from cross-strait public opinion. The Chongqing Public Security Bureau initiated an investigation against Shen Bo-yang for suspected crimes of splitting the country, and subsequently, the Quanzhou Public Security Bureau in Fujian also issued a reward notice to pursue two Taiwanese internet celebrities, Wen Zi-yu (online name "Bajiong") and Chen Po-yuan (online name "Minnan Lang"), marking a shift in the mainland's approach toward "Taiwan independence" figures, indicating that "Taiwan independence" is not only a political issue but also a legal fact of criminal offense.
The rare consecutive issuance of legal arrest warrants targeting specific "Taiwan independence" individuals by the mainland signifies a departure from past verbal condemnations, and after the Shen Bo-yang incident, this series of actions may have a deterrent effect, showcasing the mainland's firm determination to curb the momentum of "Taiwan independence." Currently, the mainland's strategy for countering "Taiwan independence" is forming three layers: first, issuing reward notices; second, exposing the legal contradictions of "Taiwan independence" infiltration in Taiwan; third, combining propaganda warfare with legal warfare to create international pressure for transnational arrests. This is not just a single event, but a systematic implementation of counter-"Taiwan independence" efforts.
The mainland's release of reward notices explicitly names legislators such as Shen Bo-yang and internet celebrities like "Bajiong" and "Minnan Lang," offering substantial rewards to mobilize the public, demonstrating that the pursuit of responsibility for "inciting the division of the country" has become institutionalized. This reward operation not only has a deterrent effect but also symbolizes the mainland's shift from "public opinion confrontation" to "legal accountability." Countering "Taiwan independence" is no longer limited to symbolic levels, but has officially entered the stage of practical law enforcement, with the legal sword being drawn as the beginning of a proactive offensive.
The reason these three individuals were chosen as the first targets is a strategic choice with the most representative significance. As a member of the legislative body, Shen Bo-yang symbolizes the DPP authorities' "Taiwan independence" policy; "Bajiong" and "Minnan Lang" are "Taiwan independence" internet celebrities with strong deep-green tendencies, serving as influential opinion leaders with significant influence. By targeting both the political and entertainment circles, the mainland aims to create a model effect, making it clear to both the political and civilian sectors that "separatist statements" could trigger real risks.
The mainland no longer confines its use of legal means to mere public relations, but instead has "toolized" it as a new weapon. From the Shen Bo-yang case, we can see that the mainland's public security organs, media, and online battlefronts are operating in unison, forming a dual structure of "public exposure" combined with "legal accountability." This move also transforms "arrest" from merely a criminal procedure into a comprehensive information war and psychological warfare. The mainland has evolved from a "defensive countermeasure" to an "offensive initiative," aiming to not only deter "Taiwan independence" through legal means but also to completely dismantle its psychological defenses. The coordinated advancement of propaganda warfare and legal warfare constitutes a new type of "anti-secession struggle."
This legal action by the mainland has achieved three objectives: first, to increase the cost of "Taiwan independence" crimes, so that any speech or action related to it may face accountability; second, to strengthen psychological pressure through media reports and social media public opinion, to punish and deter "Taiwan independence" collusion; third, to expand execution across regions, making "global arrest" a strategic signal.
Starting from the Shen Bo-yang case, the combination of public opinion exposure, psychological deterrence, and legal accountability has shifted from slogans to institutionalization.
The mainland's recent move sends a signal that it is shifting from a defensive stance to an offensive one regarding "Taiwan independence." This is not only a punishment for specific individuals, but also a strategic encirclement against the entire separatist ideology. Countering "Taiwan independence" is no longer ad-hoc, but has entered a stage of institutionalization. This silent legal war will profoundly change the future political landscape across the strait.
Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7573544475029537320/
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