China offers $35,000 bounty for 2 Taiwanese influencers accused of ‘separatism’
Chinese police on Thursday, November 13, issued a wanted notice and offered a $35,000 reward for two Taiwanese social media influencers accused of “separatism,” a move Taipei says is meant to intimidate people in Taiwan.
Beijing has accused dozens of people in Taiwan, including elected lawmakers, of promoting “separatism.” Chinese law does not apply in Taiwan, which has its own government and judicial system.
The wanted notice names Pa Chiung and Chen Po-yuan, a rapper known by his stage name Mannam PYC. Police in Quanzhou, a city facing Taiwan across the Taiwan Strait, said the two had long been “publishing and inciting separatist views.”
Authorities said anyone who helps capture the men could receive a reward of up to 250,000 yuan ($35,098).
Both influencers dismissed the accusations in posts on their Threads accounts. “I stand up for myself. The greater the wind, the more stable I am,” Chen wrote.
Pa Chiung said he learned about the news after waking up. “So it seems I have become Puma Shen,” he added, referring to the Taiwanese lawmaker China began investigating last month for alleged “separatist” activity.
Chen and Pa are known for their criticism of China. Taiwan’s government said Beijing is spreading “red terror,” referring to the ruling Communist Party’s colour, and using “long-armed jurisdiction” to accuse Taiwanese citizens of “separatism.”
Shen, who was in Berlin on Wednesday to testify at a German parliament hearing on disinformation, said China was threatening to have him arrested abroad but that he was not afraid. “China has long sought to silence the people of Taiwan through intimidation. I want to tell everyone that, as brave Taiwanese, we will not back down because of this,” he said.
Taiwan’s government has rejected China’s sovereignty claims, saying only the island’s people can decide their future.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
