Taiwan revokes residency of Chinese women advocating military reunification

Taiwan has ordered three mainland Chinese women, all married to Taiwanese men, to leave the island for pushing for cross-strait unification by force, prompting concerns that the decision violates free speech.

Taiwan’s National Immigration Agency (NIA) has given Liu Zhenya, a mainland Chinese influencer, until Tuesday to leave the island or face deportation for encouraging Beijing’s armed invasion of Taiwan via social media.

Two additional mainland Chinese, one known as Zhao Zhan and the other by the pseudonym En Qi, have been told to leave by March 31 or risk deportation for making similar claims, NIA officials revealed on Monday.

The decision comes as the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) administration hardens its policies towards mainland China, labelling Beijing a “foreign hostile force” amid rising cross-strait tensions.

Taiwanese Interior Minister Liu Shih-fang confirmed to reporters on Monday that the trio’s residency and employment licenses, as well as their access to Taiwan’s public health insurance, had been removed.

Liu is the first individual in the island’s history to be ejected for advocating forceful reunification.  She sought an appeal against the decision, but the Taipei High Administrative Court denied her application for a stay of execution.

On Friday, the NIA also informed Zhao and En Qi, who both have big social media followings, that their remarks advocating for mainland China’s military reunification with Taiwan and applauding the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) for its “mighty power” violated Taiwanese legislation.

The NIA stated in a statement that their actions called for the “elimination of Taiwan’s sovereignty” and were “not tolerated in Taiwanese society”.  It further noted that their words had “instilled fear among the public and undermined social stability”.

A person from mainland China “may be deported or ordered to depart within 10 days” if judged a danger to “national or social stability” according to Taiwanese rules governing cross-strait ties.