China to sanction Taiwan independence advocates

The Taiwan Work Office of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party has announced Tuesday sanctions for a group of Taiwan “independence advocate” officials.

A spokesman for the bureau, in statements picked up by Xinhua news agency, explained that China has decided to impose punitive measures against several individuals, considered “uncompromising elements of Taiwan independence,” “in order to safeguard the peaceful development of relations.”

“Over a period of time, a small number of ‘Taiwan independence’ recalcitrants have gone to great lengths to collude with outside forces to carry out ‘independence’ provocations, deliberately provoking a cross-Strait confrontation and wantonly undermining the peace and stability of the Taiwan Strait,” the spokesman explained.

He further added that the Asian giant “will never tolerate any act of dividing the country, nor will it allow any outside force to interfere in the process of reunifying the motherland.”

Thus, he has explained that these sanctions include the prohibition of the punished individuals and their family members from entering mainland China, as well as “the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions.” They will also not be allowed to conduct economic activities on Chinese territory. “They will be held accountable for life in accordance with the law,” he has asserted.