Taiwan Stands Firm: DPP Lawmaker Defies China's Warrant at Global Forum

Puma Shen, a DPP lawmaker, travels to the Netherlands for a forum despite China's criminal warrant over 'secessionist crimes.' Taiwan's Foreign Affairs Committee denounces China's authoritarian reach, rejecting its claim of jurisdiction over Taiwanese citizens. Lawmakers call for solidarity with Japan against China's political tactics.

In a decisive move signaling defiance against China's aggressive intimidation tactics, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmaker Puma Shen embarked on a journey to the Netherlands. Despite being marked as 'wanted' by Chinese authorities, Shen attended a high-level international forum. The Chongqing Municipal Public Security Bureau issued the warrant in late October, accusing Shen of committing 'secessionist crimes' due to his involvement with Kuma Academy, an initiative focused on preparing Taiwanese citizens for potential Chinese aggression.

The warrant, underpinned by China's Criminal Law and its newly expanded criteria for punishing so-called 'Taiwan independence separatists,' has been widely criticized as an extension of China's aggressive extraterritorial reach. The Taipei Times reported that a Chinese legal analyst suggested on China Central Television (CCTV) that Shen could be targeted through Interpol and other judicial channels, a claim that drew substantial backlash from Taiwan. Taiwanese lawmakers dismissed these threats as empty attempts to enforce China's authoritarian legal system overseas.

In retaliation, Taiwan's legislature's Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee issued a motion condemning China's actions. They affirmed that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) holds no legitimate authority over Taiwanese citizens. Meanwhile, DPP legislators in Kaohsiung have urged citizens to show solidarity with Japan, encouraging the purchase of Japanese products and travel there, responding to China's retaliatory economic measures following Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's remarks on Taiwan's security, events that have triggered heightened tensions with Beijing.

(With inputs from agencies.)