Can Taiwanese Police Enjoy Free Admission at Mainland Scenic Spots? MAC Responds with Strong Language

The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) recently revealed that two Taiwanese police officers—one currently serving and one retired—were taken by Chinese state security personnel during a visit to mainland China and questioned about their duties in Taiwan and critical infrastructure. Some grassroots officers believe the two must have engaged in suspicious behavior to be interrogated, and say they have not heard of colleagues being harassed. In fact, some Taiwanese police officers have reported presenting their service certificates at mainland scenic spots and receiving free admission under the military-civilian-educator exemption policy.

On July 18, the MAC issued a strong statement in response, accusing such narratives of aiding China's cognitive warfare and confusing public perception. The MAC stated that the two officers were detained on June 24 at around 11:05 a.m. after checking into a guesthouse in Quanzhou. They were taken by six or seven Chinese state security agents to a third location and interrogated in isolation until 5:10 p.m., a total of six hours. The MAC criticized the media for using vague terms like 'grassroots officers' and making unsubstantiated claims that the officers must have acted suspiciously, calling it a typical tactic to discredit whistleblowers and divert attention.

The MAC emphasized that this is not the first time Taiwanese judicial police personnel—including those from the Investigation Bureau, National Police Agency, Immigration Agency, and Coast Guard Administration—have been detained and questioned after visiting China. These are real cases reported by individuals who experienced them firsthand. Dismissing these incidents as baseless or implying the victims must have done something wrong aligns closely with Beijing's narrative that 'as long as you don't commit illegal acts, you'll be safe' and that Taiwan is 'fear-mongering.' The MAC warned that such rhetoric supports China's cognitive warfare, distorts facts, and whitewashes its misconduct.