Report: China issuing a blacklist on 'stubborn Taiwan secessionists'

China has always maintained that there is only one China in the world, and Taiwan is part of it.

KUALA LUMPUR (The Star/ANN): Beijing will be releasing the name list of "stubborn Taiwan secessionists" for severe punitive actions amid rising Beijing-Taipei tensions, according to a report by Ta Kung Pao on Sunday (Nov 15).

Quoting “authoritative sources”, the Hong Kong-based Chinese newspaper wrote that the blacklist will not only target Taiwanese advocating for independence of Taiwan from China, but will also include their “key sponsors”.

The people to be targeted will not only include people residing in Taiwan but also those staying outside the Taiwan province.

The news report noted that some of these financiers have been using the money they earned from investments in the mainland to finance Taiwan’s independent movement and politicians.

This report by pro-Beijing Ta Kung Pao has since fanned up reactions from China and Taiwan.

According to Global Times of China, the blacklist is likely to include the leaders, influential personnel of the secessionist forces, and the head of Taiwan's ruling executive body.

By releasing the blacklist, the mainland will conduct a crackdown on the Taiwan secessionists to "reaffirm the mainland's firm stance of showing zero tolerance for Taiwan secessionism”, analysts told Global Times.

In its analysis report on Tuesday, Ta Kung Pao said China sees it timely to act on the Taiwan issue now, particularly after US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stated “Taiwan is not part of China”.

“Although Donald Trump has lost the US election and is left with two months in the White House, China is unsure if this leader with unpredictable behaviour will carry out any wild act in the Taiwan Straits. This blacklist is sending out a message to Washington and Taiwan authorities not to carry out any rash actions, ” the paper analysed.

China has always maintained that there is only one China in the world, and Taiwan is part of it. And countries with diplomatic relations with China must endorse the “one-China” policy.

According to a mainland expert interviewed by Global Times, the blacklist would have the same significance as "the war criminals list of the civil war" issued by the Communist Party of China (CPC) in January 1949.

The war criminals list informed people who should be held responsible for the war, and explained the legitimacy of the CPC to bring them to justice.

Taiwan’s TV network CTI, in its forum on Monday night, said President Tsai Ing-wen could be leading the blacklist.

This is because after Tsai won the presidential election in Taiwan early this year, she and other ruling politicians stirred up anti-China sentiments and hatred against Beijing.

Tsai, the head of the separatist Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), and leader of the island, has not made any statement so far.

A Taiwan affairs expert said the blacklist is meant to tell the whole world that the “Chinese mainland is preparing for reunification of the island”. - The Star/Asia News Network