Taiwan Warns Media Prosecution After China Demands Exposure of Independence Supporters

Taiwan's government sharply condemned Beijing after Chinese officials used a cross-strait media summit to urge Taiwanese media organizations to identify and publicize supporters of Taiwan independence. At the seventh Cross-Strait Media Summit in Beijing on May 12, 2026, Wu Xi, deputy head of China's Taiwan Affairs Office, accused pro-independence groups of spreading misinformation to incite anti-China sentiment and called on media professionals to counter such narratives through what he termed "truthful reporting." Over 100 media executives and scholars attended, including Chou Hsi-wei of the Want Want Group and representatives from United Daily News, TVBS, and The Observer.

Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) characterized Beijing's actions as a tactic of "using Taiwan to control Taiwan" and escalated its rhetoric across the day, later labeling the pressure campaign "transnational repression." MAC warned that Taiwanese media representatives who cooperate with Beijing as "local collaborators" — including by providing personal information, sharing data, or circulating "wanted" notices targeting individuals as independence advocates — could face prosecution under the Anti-Infiltration Act and the National Security Act, with potential prison sentences exceeding seven years.

The MAC also accused Beijing of weaponizing Taiwanese media to silence dissent and suggested the Politburo Standing Committee of the Chinese Communist Party was directing the targeting campaign. Executive Yuan spokeswoman Michelle Lee further warned the public against China's "united front" infiltration efforts, stating that those aiding Beijing's infiltration would face strict prosecution.