China imposes sanctions on Taiwan's US envoy, US institutions
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[April 07, 2023]
By Liz Lee and Ben Blanchard
BEIJING/TAIPEI (Reuters) -China has imposed further sanctions on Hsiao
Bi-khim, Taiwan's de facto ambassador to the United States, prohibiting
her and family members from entering the mainland, Hong Kong and Macau,
state media reported on Friday.
The sanctions, announced by China's Taiwan Affairs Office, also ban
investors and firms related to Hsiao from cooperating with mainland
organisations and individuals.
They come after Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen's meeting with U.S.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy during a stopover in the United States this
week.
"Wow, the PRC (People's Republic of China) just sanctioned me again, for
the second time," Hsiao tweeted in response to the announcement.
China's Foreign Ministry also announced steps against the United States'
Hudson Institute and Reagan Library and their heads, saying both
institutions provided a platform and facilities for what it called
Tsai's separatist activities.
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Taiwan's Foreign Ministry reacted angrily, saying China had no right to
"butt in" when it came to Tsai's overseas trips and that Beijing was
"deceiving itself" if it thought the sanctions would have any effect.
"It not only deepens our people's antipathy but exposes the irrational
and ridiculous nature of the communist regime," it said.
China considers Taiwan its own territory and not a separate country.
Taiwan's government disputes China's claim.
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The Chinese foreign ministry said it has immediately restricted
universities, institutions, and other organisations and individuals in
China from engaging and cooperating with the Hudson Institute and Reagan
Library and their leaders.
China has also banned the leaders from entering the country, and frozen
any properties they have in China, it said.
Neither body immediately responded to a request for comment.
Chinese sanctions will have little practical impact as senior Taiwanese
officials do not visit China while Chinese courts do not have
jurisdiction in Taiwan.
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![](../images/040723PIX/news_a22.jpg)
Hsiao Bi-khim, Taiwan's top
representative in U.S., speaks during an event with Taiwan's
President Tsai Ing-wen and members of the Taiwanese community, in
New York, U.S., in this handout picture released March 30, 2023.
Taiwan Presidential Office/Handout via REUTERS
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2023/Apr/07/images/ads/current/stjohns_lda_EASTER_2023.png)
China imposed similar sanctions on The Prospect Foundation, which is
headed by a former Taiwanese foreign minister, and the Council of
Asian Liberals and Democrats, a multinational alliance that Taiwan's
ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) co-founded in 1993.
China's Taiwan Affairs Office accused the institutions of promoting
the idea of "Taiwan independence" internationally.
The Prospect Foundation expressed "strong regret" at the decision,
saying in a statement it would "still uphold the spirit of academic
independence and the principle of defending Taiwan's sovereignty".
The Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats said the sanctions were
"unfortunate" but that it stands by its programmes and activities to
advance democracy, human rights and rule of law for everyone in
Asia.
Last August, after then-U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited
Taiwan, China imposed sanctions including an entry ban on seven
Taiwanese officials and lawmakers including Hsiao whom it accused of
being "independence diehards", drawing condemnation from the
democratically governed island.
Others on the August sanctions list include Taiwan Foreign Minister
Joseph Wu, Wellington Koo, Secretary-General of Taiwan's National
Security Council, and DPP politicians.
DPP lawmaker Chao Tien-lin told reporters at parliament the
sanctions on Hsiao were "absurd".
"This will have no impact on her," he said.
(Reporting by Liz Lee and Beijing newsroom; Ben Blanchard in Taipei;
Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman, Lincoln Feast, Mark Heinrich
and Barbara Lewis)
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