In a move that underscores the escalating tensions between Taiwan and China, a Chinese social media influencer living in Taiwan has been ordered to leave the island within days or face deportation. The decision comes after she posted a video expressing support for the idea of China using force to unify with Taiwan. This development is the latest in a series of events that have heightened concerns over Chinese interference in Taiwan.
The National Immigration Agency (NIA) of Taiwan, which revoked the influencer’s visa, stated that her behavior was seen as promoting the overthrow of Taiwan’s sovereignty, an act that Taiwanese society cannot tolerate. The influencer, identified only by her surname Liu, had moved to Taiwan from mainland China on a dependent visa after marrying a Taiwanese man. She has been given until March 24 to depart the island, after which she will be deported, according to local media reports. Furthermore, she will be barred from applying for a dependent visa for five years, as announced by the NIA on Saturday.
Liu, known on Taiwanese social media as “Ya Ya,” often posted videos featuring her young daughter, in which she expressed pro-Beijing views. In her videos, she frequently referred to Taiwan as “Taiwan Province” and implied that Taiwan is an inseparable part of China. In one video on Douyin, where she has 480,000 followers, Liu stated that the complete reunification of the motherland is necessary, regardless of what the Taiwanese people want, and suggested that peaceful reunification is more difficult than reunification by force, leaving the choice to the Taiwanese people. Despite growing criticism, she posted in February that she would not back down.
However, she later clarified that her intention was merely to promote the good aspects of both sides through her videos and reduce the gap between people. Her comments were condemned by Taiwanese leaders, with Liu Chia-feng, Taiwan’s Minister of the Interior, stating that freedom of speech is not an excuse to advocate for Taiwan’s invasion.
Liu is one of over 400,000 mainland Chinese who have married Taiwanese spouses, and their activities have come under increased scrutiny as tensions across the Taiwan Strait have risen. Last week, Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te announced several measures to curb Chinese influence and interference, calling for stricter controls on exchanges between the two sides of the strait, as China has used these channels as tools to create divisions within Taiwan.
Source: BBC