The Chinese government issued arrest warrants on Thursday for 20 Taiwanese nationals accused of carrying out cyber operations on the mainland on behalf of Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). At the same time, Beijing imposed a trade ban on a Taiwanese company whose owners were labeled as “staunch supporters” of the island’s independence.
According to police in Guangzhou, southern China, the group was allegedly led by a man identified as Ning Enwei and acted under the direction of the DPP, a party known for its pro-independence stance. Authorities did not specify the exact charges.
Beijing also announced a total trade ban on Sicuens International Company Ltd., claiming the firm is run by Taiwanese lawmaker Puma Shen and his father. Both were accused of supporting Taiwan’s independence. Sicuens, according to its website, specializes in exporting bicycle parts manufactured in China.
Shen, in addition to his legislative role, heads the Kuma Academy, an organization dedicated to preparing Taiwanese civilians for the possibility of a military invasion. The academy offers training in defense tactics and countering disinformation campaigns.
The DPP swiftly rejected Beijing’s accusations. “This is clearly a case of the Chinese Communist Party fabricating a pretext to stir up trouble. When it comes to cyberattacks, infiltration, and cognitive warfare, the CCP is by far the most serious perpetrator,” said Michael Chen, acting director of International Affairs for the DPP. “What we are witnessing is a textbook example of a bully playing the victim,” he added.
From Beijing, Zhu Fenglian, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office, claimed that Sicuens had been maintaining “commercial and cooperative relations with certain mainland businesses for economic gain.” She warned that the mainland “will never allow companies associated with staunch ‘Taiwan independence’ supporters to profit” from such ties.
This is not the first time Shen has drawn Beijing’s ire. Last year, China imposed sanctions on both Shen and the Kuma Academy, accusing him of “actively and systematically organizing activities promoting Taiwan independence.”
According to the academy’s website, its mission is to “prepare civilians with a pre-war mindset, strengthen self-defense capabilities, and help the public recognize and counter enemy disinformation in both peacetime and wartime.”
In response to increasing threats, Taiwan has bolstered its military forces, while grassroots initiatives have launched guerrilla warfare training camps for civilians.
In a recorded statement, Puma Shen condemned Beijing’s actions: “China is manipulating ideology and sacrificing its own people’s interests just to punish a foreign lawmaker and his family. Only China could do something so absurd.”
Beijing views Taiwan as an inseparable part of its territory and has not ruled out the use of force to bring the island under its control—an ongoing source of tension across the Taiwan Strait.
