Taiwan Regrets China's New Guidelines On The Threat Of Death Penalty For Separatists

Taipei/UNSPLASH/TangChi Lee

JAKARTA - The Taiwanese government said it was "deeply regretful" of China's actions that imposed the death penalty in extreme cases for what it called "stubborn" Taiwanese independence separatists.

The government urges the public not to be threatened and intimidated by China, Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council said in a statement.

China is said to have absolutely no jurisdiction over Taiwan, and its so-called laws and norms have no binding force against our people, the statement said.

As previously reported, China has threatened to impose the death penalty in extreme cases for Taiwan's "hard-headed" independence separatist group even though the Chinese court does not have jurisdiction over the democratically-ruled island.

China, which calls Taiwan its own territory, expressed its dislike for President Lai Ching-te, who took office last month, saying Lai was a separatist', and had carried out war exercises shortly after his inauguration.

The new guidelines state that courts, prosecutors, public security agencies and the Chinese state must "persecut severely the perpetrators of Taiwan's independence for dividing the country and inciting the crime of secession in accordance with the law, and firmly defending national sovereignty, national unity and territorial integrity", the new Chinese guidelines were reported by Reuters from the government-run Xinhua news agency, Friday, June 21.

The guidelines were issued in accordance with existing laws, including the 2005 anti-successive law, Xinhua said.

The law provides Chian with a legal basis for carrying out military action against Taiwan if it separates or appears to be separating.

Sun Ping, China's Ministry of Public Security official, told reporters in Beijingm the maximum penalty for "separation crimes" was the death penalty.

"A sharp field of law enforcement will always hang high," he said.