After military exercises around Taiwan, China moves on to political retaliation.
Beijing has sanctioned seven Taiwanese representatives accused of supporting the independence of the island, considered a renegade province, the official news agency Chine Nouvelle reported on Tuesday (August 16th), adding that among them was the de facto ambassador of Taipei to the UNITED STATES.
The sanctions come after the visit to Taiwan earlier this month by Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi, whom China has described as likely to stoke tensions and send the wrong signal to supporters of Taiwan independence.
Among the targets of sanctions taken by the Office of Taiwan Affairs are Hsiao Bi-khim, the de facto Taiwanese ambassador to Washington, Wellington Koo, the secretary general of the Taiwanese National Security Council, as well as members of the ruling political party .
A spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office said sanctioned representatives were banned from traveling to China, Hong Kong and Macau.
It is also impossible for them to do business in China, whether through companies or investors.
Beijing has already sanctioned Taiwanese Prime Minister Su Tseng-chang, the island's foreign minister, Joseph Wu, and parliament speaker You Si-kun in the past.
With Reuters
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