Yaita Akio Assaulted; Ministry of Foreign Affairs Condemns China's Transnational Suppression

(CNA, Taipei, July 7) -- Yaita Akio, CEO of the Indo-Pacific Strategy Think Tank, was assaulted by a Chinese national in Taichung yesterday. The suspect was apprehended while attempting to board a flight to leave the country. Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Ou-yang Wei-hsin today issued a strong condemnation of this violent act, emphasizing that it represents transnational suppression by China following the implementation of its "Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress," and calling for international countermeasures.

Yaita Akio was invited to be a lecturer at a camp organized by the Chunyu Cultural and Educational Foundation in Taichung. As he was leaving the hotel around noon yesterday, he was followed and punched in the face by an unknown assailant. Taichung police intercepted and arrested the suspect, identified as a Mr. Liao from China, at Taichung International Airport that same afternoon as he was attempting to board a flight.

At the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' regular press conference this morning, Ou-yang Wei-hsin stated that the government will absolutely not take such violent incidents lightly. Domestic police and judicial authorities will conduct thorough investigations to clarify the motive and severely punish all involved parties.

Ou-yang Wei-hsin noted that it is significant that this incident is the first violent case to occur after the implementation of China's "Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress." Similar cases mentioned by the public highlight China's attempts to conduct transnational suppression against people in various countries worldwide, expanding its authoritarian influence through violent means. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly condemns China's actions, and the government will never allow the security of freedom of speech and a democratic legal society to be threatened.

Ou-yang Wei-hsin further stated that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs once again reminds the international community that the Chinese government's barbaric tactics of transnational suppression, attempting to intimidate, harass, and interfere with Taiwanese and foreign nationals, trample on international human rights, infringe upon the jurisdictional rights of various countries, and severely cross the line of the rule of law, which is absolutely unacceptable.

Ou-yang Wei-hsin concluded by emphasizing that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs also calls on the international community to jointly counter China's abuse of power and its implementation of transnational suppression, and to recognize the negative effects and subsequent impacts brought about by China's draconian laws and violent actions. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue to coordinate closely with relevant agencies and like-minded countries to respond, and will strengthen overseas emergency response and assistance mechanisms to ensure the personal safety of citizens traveling abroad and foreign nationals in Taiwan. (Editor: Su Lung-chi) 1150707

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