Taiwan Warns China’s Expanding Security Powers Could Put Travelers at Risk

The concern was highlighted in a Sept. 3 editorial by the Taipei Times, which argues that Beijing’s expanding security and border-control framework could allow personal information gathered from Taiwanese and foreign visitors to be used for political pressure beyond China’s borders. The editorial is an opinion piece, so its characterization of Beijing’s motives should be understood as the newspaper’s analysis rather than an independently established fact.

Six-hour questioning in Shanghai raises fresh concerns

The editorial points to the case of a Taiwanese man who was reportedly questioned for about six hours after arriving in Shanghai.

According to Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council, the man was questioned about his previous work with Amnesty International, including whether he had been involved in human-rights reporting or advocacy concerning China, Hong Kong, Xinjiang or Tibet.

His father said three plainclothes officials questioned him and asked about people he had previously contacted through his work. The man was eventually released and returned to Taiwan after deciding not to enter China.

The case has not been independently established as evidence of a nationwide policy targeting every Taiwanese traveler. However, Taiwanese officials say it illustrates the potential risks faced by people with previous political, human-rights or sensitive professional activities.

Taiwan says hundreds have faced restrictions

The Mainland Affairs Council said that, as of Aug. 29, 426 Taiwanese had gone missing, been detained for questioning or had their freedom of movement restricted in China since Jan. 1, 2024.

The figure included 160 reported missing, 36 detained for questioning and 230 suspected of having their movement restricted. These figures come from Taiwan’s government reporting and do not mean that every case has been publicly confirmed by Chinese authorities.

Taipei has consequently urged Taiwanese considered at higher risk to carefully assess whether travel to China is necessary.

New Chinese rules take effect Sept. 15

The concern comes just days before China’s revised Regulations on Exit and Entry Administration take effect on Sept. 15.

China says the new regulations are designed to standardize entry and exit procedures, protect lawful rights and interests and safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests.

But Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council argues that some provisions are broad enough to give Chinese authorities significant discretion.

Under the new rules, authorities can require travelers to provide relevant documents, electronic data or other information during exit-and-entry procedures. Certain restrictions can also be imposed on people involved in matters Chinese authorities consider related to national, industrial or technological security.

Taiwan is particularly concerned because Beijing considers Taiwanese to be Chinese citizens under its own legal framework, while Taiwan rejects Beijing’s jurisdiction over Taiwan.

That creates a potentially complicated legal gray area for Taiwanese visiting mainland China.

Why personal data is becoming a major issue

Taiwanese security officials say the concern is not limited to what happens to an individual traveler.

A smartphone can contain photographs, messages, contacts, work documents and information about family members, colleagues and professional networks.

The Taipei Times editorial argues that this makes access to electronic devices potentially more consequential than simply questioning one traveler.

Taiwan’s National Security Council Secretary-General Joseph Wu has separately warned that China’s new rules could strengthen what Taipei describes as transnational repression, particularly through expanded collection of personal and digital information.

However, China’s government presents the regulations differently, saying they are intended to improve border administration and protect national sovereignty, security and development interests.

The wider legal landscape is changing

The concerns also come after China’s Ethnic Unity and Progress Promotion Law took effect on July 1.

Taiwanese officials have argued that the law could be interpreted broadly and potentially affect people outside mainland China. Critics particularly object to provisions concerning activities viewed as undermining ethnic unity.

Beijing has rejected accusations that its legislation amounts to unlawful “long-arm jurisdiction.”

Taiwan has responded by establishing an interagency platform to counter what it calls Chinese transnational repression and is considering changes to its Criminal Code and other legislation.

What travelers should understand

The most important takeaway is not that every person traveling to China will face detention or interrogation.

Rather, Taiwan’s warning is that people with previous political activity, sensitive professional backgrounds, human-rights work or access to sensitive technology may face higher perceived risks, according to Taiwanese authorities.

Taiwan has therefore advised people to understand the legal environment before traveling and to consider what personal or professional information they carry with them.

For businesses, the issue is particularly sensitive because semiconductor engineers, technology executives and other professionals regularly travel between Taiwan and mainland China.

A Taiwanese security source previously warned that employees working with sensitive technologies could potentially face restrictions if Chinese authorities interpret their activities as affecting industrial or technological security.

A growing cross-Strait fault line

The dispute illustrates how Taiwan-China tensions are moving beyond military activity and into travel, data, technology, law enforcement and personal security.

For Beijing, tighter border and security rules are presented as tools to protect national interests.

For Taipei, the same measures could create new vulnerabilities for Taiwanese citizens traveling into a jurisdiction where Chinese authorities have considerably greater legal and practical power over them.

With the new regulations taking effect on Sept. 15, the debate is likely to intensify.

Could China’s expanding border and security powers fundamentally change the risks Taiwanese travelers face when they enter mainland China? the title is EDITORIAL: Taiwan Warns China’s Expanding Security Powers Could Put Travelers at Risk

WWC ONE MEDIA J.M.D