China's Top Anti-Spy Agency Vows To 'Fight Any Form Of Taiwan Independence Moves' Before Presidential Inauguration

Ahead of the Taiwanese presidential inauguration, China’s premier anti-spy agency has committed to combating “Taiwan independence” and called for peaceful reunification.

What Happened: The Minister of State Security, Chen Yixin, declared in an article that the agency is determined to "resolutely fight any form of Taiwan independence moves, counter interference from foreign forces, and punish Taiwanese spies who act as the vanguard of ‘Taiwan independence' in accordance with the law,” as reported by the South China Morning Post reported on Monday.

This public warning, issued weeks before the inauguration of Taiwanese president-elect William Lai Ching-te, is the second such warning from Beijing’s leading anti-spy agency to the island’s separatist forces this year. The agency had previously vowed to “strike to curb the ‘Taiwan independence forces'” prior to the island’s presidential election in January.

See Also: China’s Big Banks Halt Russia Transactions Over US Sanctions, Forcing Firms To Resort To ‘Underground’ Channels: Report

Beijing perceives Taiwan as a part of China and has consistently accused president-elect Lai of being a “stubborn separatist.” Although most countries, including the United States, do not acknowledge Taiwan as an independent nation, they oppose any forceful reunification attempts and have pledged to arm Taiwan.

In the past few years, Beijing has publicly disclosed several instances of Taiwanese citizens allegedly posing a threat to national security. The article also disclosed that the ministry had conducted operations in 2018 and 2020 to dismantle Taiwanese espionage networks against Beijing.

Why It Matters: This development follows a series of events that have strained relations between China and Taiwan. In April 2024, China called for more pragmatic military ties with the United States, emphasizing the sensitivity of the Taiwan issue. Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun urged for a cooperative military relationship with the U.S., warning against any harm to Taiwan, which he referred to as "the core of China's core interests".

Earlier that month, former Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou expressed optimism about a peaceful resolution of differences between Taiwan and China, following a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Ma, who was the first former or sitting Taiwanese leader to visit China last year, emphasized the shared culture and history of the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.

Read Next: Xi Jinping Calls For Chinese Army To ‘Focus On The Battlefield’ During Visit To Military Medical University

Photo by Zbitnev on Shutterstock