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進入《TAIPEI TIMES》 Taiwan drafting travel advisory on PRC
National Security Council adviser Alex Huang speaks with the Liberty Times （the Taipei Times’ sister newspaper） in Taipei on Thursday. Photo: Chang Chia-jui, Taipei Times
AT-RISK GROUPS: Civil servants, religious workers and professionals in key sectors should exercise caution as China implements new entry and exit rules next week
By Chen Yun and Fion Khan / Staff reporter, with staff writer
The government is preparing guidelines to help Taiwanese mitigate risks when traveling to China as Beijing prepares to implement new border rules that could extend inspections to mobile phones and other electronic devices, National Security Council adviser Alex Huang （黃重諺） told the Chinese-language Liberty Times （the Taipei Times’ sister newspaper） in an interview published yesterday.
Beijing’s revised entry and exit regulations are scheduled to take effect on Tuesday next week, raising international concern and prompting the US to update its travel advisory for China.
As China is to begin conducting random inspections of personal communication devices from next month, many Taiwanese have expressed concern that business secrets could be exposed or that their past social media comments could be used against them, Huang said.
The Mainland Affairs Council, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and other agencies are drafting guidelines to advise Taiwanese on how to protect themselves when traveling to China, he said, urging three groups of people in particular to exercise heightened caution.
First, civil servants at all levels — whether serving in local, central or security-related roles — could become targets for intelligence gathering, Huang said.
Recent cases have included police officers being questioned about critical infrastructure protection measures and judicial personnel being asked about internal operations, he said.
Village wardens and local civil affairs officials could also be targeted for information regarding air-raid shelters, emergency supplies and distribution channels, he added.
The second risk group is religious workers, he said.
As China does not have genuine religious freedom, religious activities such as missionary work, ordinations and baptisms must be conducted in the presence of officials from religious affairs bodies overseen by the Chinese Communist Party’s （CCP） United Front Work Department, he said.
Gatherings of believers and religious study sessions are also treated as matters of national security, he added.
Some followers of the I-Kuan Tao religious group who traveled to China for sightseeing have reportedly been arbitrarily detained and remain in custody, he said.
Third, professionals working in sensitive sectors such as semiconductors, quantum science, advanced materials and defense, as well as employees of key foreign companies and firms connected to entities sanctioned by Beijing, could be at particularly high risk of having their personal freedom restricted, he said.
With the new border rules, China is tightening domestic controls in an attempt to retain talent and technology and discourage citizens from seeking opportunities abroad, he said.
The country’s economic slowdown has created a situation in which only a small number of people benefit while many others struggle, he said, adding that global supply chains are accelerating efforts to reduce reliance on China.
The introduction of a series of regulations since the so-called “22 guidelines to penalize Taiwanese independence separatists” were implemented demonstrates Beijing’s efforts to extend its jurisdiction beyond its borders and reflects a deep distrust of its own people, he said.
Using China’s Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress as an example, Huang said it elevates Han Chinese culture above others, prioritizes the use of standard Chinese language and characters, and even requires parents to teach their children to “love the CCP.”
Such provisions demonstrate a distortion of constitutional principles and governance, he said.
Amendments to China’s National Defense Mobilization Law would broaden the scope of mobilization to include supply chains and other matters linked to China’s development, Huang said.
The legislation also changes the treatment of civilian resources from temporary requisition to expropriation involving the transfer of property rights, he said.
Foreign companies, including Taiwanese businesses, have already begun paying closer attention to the risks posed to intellectual property and human resources, Huang said.
He urged the international community to remain vigilant regarding the CCP’s attempts to challenge the world order and bring all assets under its control.
新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES
