China Imposes Sanctions On US Individuals As An Act Of ‘Punishment’ For The Taiwan President’s Discussions With The House Speaker.

China punishes US officials to express their displeasure over Taiwan’s president’s meeting with House Speaker. Along with further limitations on Taiwan’s de facto ambassador to the US, China has placed penalties on American people associated with the Taiwan president’s travel to the US this week.

Who were ‘punished’ by China?

The Hudson Institute, which welcomed Tsai in New York and gave her an award, and the Ronald Reagan Library, which sponsored the meeting between Tsai and US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, were the targets of the sanctions. There were four Americans on the list, including the head and former director of the Reagan Foundation as well as the chair and director of the Hudson Institute.

The de facto ambassador of Taiwan to the US, Hsiao Bi-khim, was also the target of new sanctions. The actions follow Tsai’s meeting with the US House speaker during a layover in LA.

Additionally, it announced “punishments” against the regional Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats and the Taiwanese organisation Prospect Foundation, both of which have former Taiwanese ministers and executives on their boards, accusing them of “going all out to ingratiate themselves with anti-China forces.”

What the ‘punishment’ contains?

Targets and their families are not allowed to enter the mainland, Hong Kong, or Macau due to sanctions, according to official media. Moreover, they forbid investors and businesses affiliated with the targets from collaborating with entities and people on the mainland.

A year back history about the onset of these ‘punishments’!

During then-US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi‘s visit to Taiwan in August 2022, China levied sanctions on 7 Taiwanese officials and politicians, including Hsiao, accusing them of being “independence diehards.”

After Pelosi visited the island in August of last year, tensions erupted there. Then, in its biggest display of force in years, China sent warships, missiles, and fighter planes into the waters and sky surrounding Taiwan. Although it has so far responded to the McCarthy meeting on a much lower level, Taiwan is nonetheless on high alert.

Why China is showing such behaviour?

Taiwan is seen as Chinese territory by Beijing, which may use force to “reunify” the island. Taiwan, according to Tsai, is a sovereign state whose citizens will choose its future. China’s Ministry for Taiwan Relations accused American organisations and officials of giving Tsai Ing-wen “a platform and convenience to participate in ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist actions”.

Tsai’s meeting with US House Speaker McCarthy is regarded as yet another infringement of the one-China principle, undermining China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and undermining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, according to a Chinese official.

The Chinese embassy in Washington has stated that such a meeting may result in another major dispute in the China-US relationship. They have made multiple dire remarks to the US side, emphasising that the US side must take the obligations.

Is there any drastic effect of these so-called ‘punishments’?

As prominent Taiwanese officials do not go to China and Chinese courts do not have jurisdiction in Taiwan, Chinese punishments will not have a significant practical effect on Hsiao. That is the most recent action after China sent PLA warships through the waters around Taiwan and threatened a “strong and aggressive” response to Tsai’s meeting with McCarthy.

The aggressive nature of China.

Hours before the negotiations, China had sent an aircraft carrier strike group through the waters southeast of Taiwan and had repeatedly cautioned both parties against convening. Thursday saw the detection of three more PLA warships, a fighter jet, and a ship-launched anti-submarine helicopter close to Taiwan within its air defence identification zone, according to Taiwan’s defence ministry. The ships were ones “that are often near the Taiwan Strait,” a spokesperson told.

Also, a Chinese intelligence collecting ship was observed Thursday, northeast of Taiwan, between the Japanese islands of Okinawa and Miyakojima, according to the Japanese Ministry of Defense. A guided-missile frigate from the PLA Navy that was spotted around 100 kilometres off the coast of Taiwan was also said to be on its way home.

Also, China sent out a coast guard craft for peculiar “board and examine” operations that brought forth a protest from Taiwan. The patrol’s attempts to board and examine Taiwanese vessels, including freight and ferry services, were refused cooperation by them, according to instructions from Taiwan’s defence ministry.

In response, the US administration asked China to have open communications.

The US asked China to “engage in serious negotiation” rather than continue its “military, diplomatic, and economic pressure against Taiwan.” According to a representative for the state department, Vedant Patel, they are still dedicated to keeping lines of communication open to reduce the possibility of any type of error.

Is the US a helping hand for Taiwan to gain populace and recognition in the world?

Face-to-face contacts with US officials, according to Tsai, are crucial for “regional peace” and she asked China to maintain its composure. She also hopes that the Chinese side would show caution and refrain from overreacting, she added during a news conference before departure in Los Angeles.

Tsai indicated just before leaving for her trip to the US that external pressure will not prevent Taiwan from joining the rest of the world. She predicted that Taiwan’s determination to become worldwide will only grow stronger. They are calm, certain, unwavering, and non-provocative.

McCarthy emphasised the necessity of arming Taiwan at the meeting, which was held at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, while Tsai complimented the “strong and unique alliance” with the US.

Disclosure.

There are attempts to show that the US does not recognise Taiwan as a country, but it is a staunch supporter of Taiwan’s efforts to oppose Beijing’s escalating military intimidation and diplomatic coercion. The US government termed Tsai’s visit, her sixth since becoming president in 2016, as “routine,” and warned Beijing not to use it as a justification for unfriendly conduct.