BEIJING: China has sanctioned seven Taiwanese officials for supporting Taiwan independence, its state media reported on Tuesday (Aug 16).
The sanctions arrive after US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi stopped at Taiwan earlier this month, a move that will China said had sent a wrong transmission to pro-independence energies on the island.
Democratically self-ruled Taiwan rejects China’s state of sovereignty.
Chinese state news agency Xinhua mentioned among those sanctioned simply by China’s Taiwan Matters Office are Hsiao Bi-khim, the sobre facto Taiwan ambassador to Washington, and Wellington Koo, Secretary-General of Taiwan’s National Security Council.
Politicians from Taiwan’s ruling political celebration, Democratic Progressive Party were also sanctioned.
A Taiwan Affairs Office spokesperson said that those sanctioned would not be able to go to China, Hong Kong plus Macao. Firms plus investors related to all of them will also not be allowed to profit in The far east.
The seven are in addition to Taiwan Premier Su Tseng-chang, foreign minister Joseph Wu and parliament speaker You Si-kun who were previously approved.