Taiwanese human rights activist urges government to impose strict ban on religious exchanges initiated by Chinese organizations

Taiwanese human rights activist Lee Ming-che called on the government to impose tighter restrictions on religious exchanges initiated by Chinese organizations, Taiwan News reported.

Lee said any so-called exchanges allowed by China are designed to align with the political agenda of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), Taiwan News reported, citing Liberty Times. he/she said that religious organizations in China should become branches of the Communist Party, effectively eliminating religious freedom.

Li Ming-che’s comments came in response to the detention of three elderly Taiwanese members of the I-Kuan Tao religious group in China since October. Demands for their release have been ignored and Taiwanese officials have warned that if China refuses to release them, there will be increased risks for Taiwanese citizens to travel to China and cross-strait religious exchanges. Can be stopped.

Chen Binhua, a spokesman for China’s Taiwan Affairs Office, said Guangdong authorities had arrested three people under Chinese law. Chen assured that relevant departments would prosecute and protect the legal rights of the accused, Taiwan News reported.

Chen Binhua accused Taiwan’s DPP government of political manipulation and hindering cross-strait exchanges. Li Ming-che was arrested and jailed in China in 2017 after Beijing declared him/her a national security threat. Taiwanese human rights activist released in 2022.

On December 13, Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) urged Chinese authorities to release three Taiwanese members of the I-Kuan Tao (Yiguandao) religious group arrested in China, the Central News Agency (CNA) reported. Is.

The MAC issued a statement on Friday night shortly after China’s Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) confirmed the arrest of three people. According to the MAC statement, the Taiwanese government requested Chinese authorities to ensure the legal rights and safety of the citizens by repatriating them to Taiwan.

According to the MAC statement, Chinese authorities “illegally arrested”, imprisoned and punished Taiwanese members of religious groups visiting China on several occasions over the past year, CNA reported.

The agency said China “tries to infiltrate Taiwan under the guise of religious dialogue.” However, China is not happy to see members of Taiwanese religious groups promoting their religion in China. It urged Taiwanese people to recognize that there is no freedom of religion in China and urged members of religious groups to reconsider traveling to Beijing.

In a statement released by TAO on Friday, the three detained Taiwanese nationals, identified only by their last names as Chow, Chiang and Hsieh, were described by police in Guangdong as “members of a cult that undermines law enforcement Arrested on suspicion of “organizing and practicing”. CNA reported.