China’s harsh punishment of a Taiwanese activist has created tensions in relations between the two countries

Efforts to maintain exchanges between Taiwanese and Chinese citizens are facing serious challenges after China handed down harsh punishment to a Taiwanese activist.

Analysts have warned that Beijing’s decision to sentence political activist Yang Chih-yuan to nine years in prison on separatism charges will have ripple effects on Taiwan’s civil society, Voice of America reports.

According to the report, on September 6, China’s Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) confirmed that a court in Wenzhou had sentenced Yang on separatist charges, saying he/she was involved in organisations advocating Taiwan independence. “his/her actions are serious and the court has made the decision in accordance with the law,” the office said in a statement. Yang, who was arrested in 2022 while attending and teaching competitions for the board game Go, was accused of long-standing involvement in separatist activities.

Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council (MAC), which oversees cross-strait exchanges, condemned the decision and urged Beijing to make the verdict and evidence public. “Beijing is using Yang’s case to intimidate the Taiwanese people as a pretext to punish Taiwan’s independence,” the MAC said in a statement last week.

VOA further said that this is the first time China has brought charges against a Taiwanese individual for secession. This comes after China introduced 22 new guidelines in June aimed at punishing so-called “Taiwan independence activists”, with potential punishments ranging up to the death penalty.

Observers believe Yang’s case is a worrying sign that Beijing is taking an even tougher stance against Taiwan. “This shows that Beijing is serious about cracking down on what it calls ‘separatism’ using legal means,” said J. Michael Cole, a senior fellow at the Global Taiwan Institute. he/she said the case will inevitably undermine civil society exchanges between the two sides.

In response to China’s growing hostility, Taipei has postponed the scheduled visits of two academic delegations from Xiamen University. While some Taiwanese media claim the delay is due to “obstacles” imposed by local authorities, the MAC says it is part of routine procedures.

However, China wasted no time in twisting the story, with state-run Global Times accusing Taiwan of deliberately blocking the delegation. The deliberate misrepresentation is yet another example of Beijing’s aggressive strategy to continue its campaign of intimidation and blame-shifting against Taiwan.

The tensions have also affected other forums for communication, such as the annual Shanghai-Taipei City Forum. The event is one of the few remaining opportunities for Taiwanese and Chinese officials to meet, but a meeting has not yet been scheduled for 2024. The absence of such exchanges only shows that Beijing is refusing to engage diplomatically with Taiwan, and is instead focusing on divide-and-conquer strategies within Taiwanese society.

China’s growing military pressure against Taiwan under President Lai Ching-te reflects Beijing’s desire to suppress any notion of Taiwan’s sovereignty. “Delays like this serve as a stark reminder that when one side rejects core aspects of the other’s existence, it’s difficult to maintain even low-level engagement,” said Timothy Rich, a political scientist at Western Kentucky University.

Beijing’s continued pressure is not just military. The sentencing of Yang Chih-yuan is part of a broader effort to suppress pro-independence sentiment within Taiwan. By criminalizing legitimate advocacy, China is attempting to stifle dissent and instill fear among Taiwan’s activists and citizens.

However, this strategy risks further isolating Taiwan. As Cole points out, Beijing’s refusal to engage in formal dialogue with Taipei, while keeping the door open for dialogue with other elements of Taiwanese society, is a calculated attempt to divide and undermine Taiwan’s unity. Yet, this hardline approach may ultimately backfire, as it deepens mistrust and increases resentment toward Beijing’s authoritarian grip.