Bikim Hsiao, President of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office, waits to be introduced at the opening ceremony of the Taiwan Expo on October 12, 2022 at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington.
Alex Wong | Getty Images News | Getty Images
China has imposed further sanctions on Taiwan’s de facto ambassador to the United States, Xiao Bikim, barring her and her family from entering the mainland, Hong Kong and Macau, state media reported Friday.
The sanctions announced by China’s Taiwanese office also prohibit Xiao-related investors and companies from cooperating with mainland organizations and individuals. They came after Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen met US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy during a stopover in the US this week.
“Wow, China (People’s Republic of China) has been sanctioned again for the second time,” Xiao tweeted in response to the announcement.
China also imposed similar sanctions on the Prospect Foundation, led by a former Taiwanese foreign minister, and the Council of Liberal Democratic Party of Asia, a multinational alliance co-founded in 1993 by Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
China’s Taiwan Bureau has denounced institutions promoting the idea of ”Taiwan independence” internationally, state media reported.
After former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan last August, China drew condemnation from the democratically governed island and seven people, including Xiao, accused of being “independence stalwarts.” sanctions, including bans on Taiwanese officials and lawmakers from entering the country.
China considers Taiwan to be its own territory and not an independent country. Taiwan’s government disputes China’s claims.
Also on the August sanctions list are Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Joseph Wu and Taiwan’s National Security Council Executive Director Wellington Koo, as well as DPP politicians.
Chinese sanctions have little practical impact because Taiwanese officials do not visit China and Chinese courts have no jurisdiction in Taiwan.
DPP lawmaker Zhao Tianlin told reporters that the sanctions against Xiao were “ridiculous.” “This will not affect her,” he told reporters in Congress.
