EDITORIAL: China’s expanding repression reach

The FBI on Sunday arrested Wanying “Heather” Chang (張婉瑩) on suspicion of surveiling the family of the son of President William Lai (賴清德) on behalf of China, an example of “transnational repression” to suppress dissent in Taiwan and abroad.

Zhang, a 34-year old realtor in California, was arrested on charges of working as an unregistered agent for China. She and an accomplice were accused of taking photos and videos of Lai’s son and his family, and sending information about their whereabouts and license plates to Chinese officials.

“The information could be used by China to gain leverage over the Taiwanese president in any potential conflict, the FBI said in a statement.

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has been accused of extending control and suppressing dissent beyond its national borders, disregarding human rights and the sovereignty of other nations. There are also growing international concerns regarding China’s recent legal amendments, such as the revision of its Anti-Secession Law, and its Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress, which would allow it to infringe on other countries’ sovereignty with vague, legal concepts.

The Human Rights Measurement Initiative in a report warned that China and its proxies had carried out transnational repression in at least 41 countries and territories last year. Researchers identified more than 20 methods of pressuring overseas critics, including physical attacks, harassment, forced repatriation, legal threats, financial coercion, digital surveillance and censorship.

The CCP’s cross-border repression of Taiwan is especially rampant.

The Mainland Affairs Council said at least 126 Taiwanese in 140 reported cases have been the target of Chinese transnational repression, including Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴). She was tracked by Chinese agents who had planned to stage a car accident during her visit to Prague in 2024.

There was also the attack on Japanese political commentator Akio Yaita in Taichung and the throwing of feces on the Comedy Club in Taipei. Most recently, it was confirmed that Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Puma Shen (沈伯洋), an outspoken critic of China, and his family were tracked in 2024 by private investigators hired by two Hong Kongers.

The CCP is not only threatening Taiwan’s head of state and officials, but also intimidating ordinary Taiwanese, undermining the nation’s democracy.

To counter transnational repression, the US punishes local collaborators who stalk and intimidate others, or engage in political activities for foreign forces. Such activities constitute a federal felony, contravening the Foreign Agents Registration Act and the US Code, and are punishable by a maximum fine of US$250,000 and a prison term of five to 10 years.

Bipartisan US lawmakers in July introduced the “Stop Cross-Border Repression Act,” which formally defines foreign coercion as a serious offense that could face penalties of up to 10 years in prison.

The European Parliament in June also adopted a resolution to establish a unified EU response against cross-border intimidation by authoritarian regimes. Germany this year has amended its Criminal Code to stipulate that anyone who commits an illegal act on behalf of a foreign power shall be sentenced to prison for up to five years.

Although the Executive Yuan has established a cross-ministerial platform to protect Taiwanese, the nation still lacks comprehensive legal frameworks and countermeasures to combat transnational bullying.

For example, police could only treat the Comedy Club incident as a property damage case. The people who assaulted Lam Wing-kee (林榮基) — the former operator of Hong Kong Causeway Bay Books who fled to Taiwan — were only sentenced to three to four months, with their sentences commuted to fines.

Amendments to the National Security Act, the Anti-Infiltration Act and the Foreign Influence Transparency Act addressing escalating transnational repression have long been blocked by the opposition Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Taiwan People’s Party, who together form a majority in the legislature. The public should show more concern about cross-border aggression and call for harsher penalties as deterrence.

As cross-border repression by authoritarian forces becomes a common challenge for countries around the world, Taiwan must expand cooperation with international democratic forces in bolstering intelligence sharing, mutual legal assistance and security protection mechanisms, to jointly counter transnational bullying and defend freedom, democracy and human rights.