China has requested extradition of hundreds of Taiwanese to its territory, denounces NGO
China is trying to restrict the powers of the island of Taiwan, especially since the election in 2016 of sovereignist Tsai Ing-wen, here during a ceremony around a new patrol of F-16V of the Taiwanese army, in Chiayi, November 18, 2021 © REUTERS / Ann Wang
Text by: RFI Follow
1 min
"
The hunt for Taiwanese
": this is the title of the report by the Spanish NGO Safeguard Defenders published on Tuesday, November 30.
According to the organization, China is pressuring the international community to repatriate Taiwanese arrested abroad in an attempt to "
undermine Taiwanese sovereignty
."
At least 600 suspects were reportedly extradited to mainland China between 2016 and 2019.
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With our correspondent in Taipei,
Adrien Simorre
At least 600 Taiwanese arrested abroad would have been extradited to China between 2016 and 2019: this is the count of
the organization Safeguard Defenders in its report published on
Tuesday, November 30. During the period studied, at least eight countries have complied with Beijing's demands, returning the Taiwanese suspects to Chinese territory.
The question obviously touches the sensitive chord of Taiwanese sovereignty,
which Beijing does not recognize
. In 2009, an agreement allowing the repatriation of the suspects to the island of Taiwan had been signed with Beijing. But China would have ceased to respect this treaty after the election of sovereignist Tsai Ing-wen to the Taiwanese presidency in 2016. "
President Xi Jiping is exploiting extradition treaties for political purposes
", denounced the Spanish human rights NGO Safeguard Defenders.
We have documented over 600 cases between 2016 and 2019 of #Taiwan nationals abroad who have been extradited or deported from countries across Asia, Africa, and Europe.
However, they have not been returned to Taiwan ... @MOFA_Taiwan https://t.co/LeBiv6H1yS pic.twitter.com/9qnxZNUBfM
- Safeguard Defenders (保护 卫士) (@SafeguardDefend) November 30, 2021
Reacting to the publication, the two countries remained on their positions.
"
Beijing has no jurisdiction over Taiwan
", defended the government in Taipei, while China for its part denounced an "
absurd
" report.
The
issue is highly sensitive
and is at the heart of tensions between
Beijing, Washington
and Tokyo.
In 2019, she also contributed to the start of the Hong Kong protests.
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