10 Taiwanese Recently Lost Contact After Traveling to China; Risks for Public Officials? One Judge Questioned by Police on 'These Issues,' Scholars Offer 3 Warnings

Cross-strait relations have become increasingly tense in recent years. On July 9, Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) announced during a regular press conference that 10 additional Taiwanese citizens have gone missing after traveling to China since the end of June. Among them, four individuals traveled together and all subsequently lost contact. The council stated it is continuing to search for the missing through existing cross-strait channels. MAC spokesperson and Deputy Minister Liang Wen-chieh specifically warned public officials to avoid traveling to China unless absolutely necessary.

In response, Professor Yeh Yao-yuan, Chair of International Studies at the University of St. Thomas in the United States, cited related reports on Facebook on July 10, noting that the MAC has been consistently highlighting the high risks of traveling to China. He added that if one intends to travel for tourism, there are numerous other countries to choose from around the world.

Are cases of individuals going missing after traveling to China on the rise? Since the end of June, 10 people have gone missing. According to new statistics from the MAC, from January 1, 2024, to June 30, 2026, the government has cumulatively received reports of 374 cases of Taiwanese citizens going missing in China, indicating that personal safety risks continue to rise. Liang explained that among the 10 newly reported cases, four traveled together and all went missing. One person traveled to China to visit relatives, another for job-seeking purposes, while the reasons for the other four remain unclear.

Additionally, the MAC revealed that a local court judge was questioned by three Chinese police officers who entered his hotel room during a trip to North China in April of this year. The judge was asked about his occupation, differences between the judicial systems across the strait, and his views on mainland China. Police even promoted cross-strait exchanges during the questioning. Notably, the police were already aware of the judge’s identity, and the questioning primarily aimed to verify the accuracy of pre-existing information.

Liang pointed out that from 2024 to the end of June this year, there have been 30 reported cases of Taiwanese being detained or questioned by Chinese authorities, nearly half of whom (14) were public officials. He emphasized that Chinese authorities are not only targeting military, police, or individuals with access to classified information, but also ordinary civil servants. He warned public officials not to assume they are safe simply because they are at a lower level or do not handle state secrets.

Liang Wen-chieh, Deputy Minister of the MAC, held a regular press conference on July 9, stating that one Taiwanese judge was recently questioned in China, and 10 new cases of individuals going missing after traveling to the mainland were reported this week. (Photo credit: Yang Teng-kai)

Regarding the MAC's warning for public officials to 'avoid unnecessary trips to China,' Yeh Yao-yuan offered three observations and warnings. First, not only public officials but also ordinary Taiwanese should avoid traveling to China unless necessary, as it is impossible to know who might be targeted by Chinese authorities (the reasons for being targeted are numerous). Second, there are many tourist destinations worldwide, and he personally believes 'choosing a country that claims to invade you is illogical.' Third, Yeh stated that if a Taiwanese person is detained by Chinese authorities without their awareness, the government will naturally use all available means to bring them back. 'However, if you choose not to go in the first place, these problems won’t arise.'

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