U.S. CECC Report: China's Legal Warfare Against Taiwan Uses Shen Po-yang as Key Example

(Central News Agency, Washington, D.C., 4th, by Hou Tzu-ying) On the 37th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square incident, the U.S. Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC) today released a report on China's transnational repression and malign influence, stating that Beijing has integrated legal warfare into its broader strategy toward Taiwan. It cited the case of Democratic Progressive Party legislator Shen Po-yang, who was placed under investigation and threatened with arrest by Chinese authorities last year, as a prominent example.

Today marks the 37th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square incident. The CECC held a hearing on China's transnational repression and simultaneously released the "2025 Report on the PRC's Transnational Repression and Malign Influence."

Regarding Taiwan, the report states that China has integrated legal warfare into its broader strategy toward Taiwan, with Shen Po-yang serving as a prominent example. He was placed on a Chinese sanctions list in 2024, and in October 2025, the Chongqing Public Security Bureau initiated a formal criminal investigation against him, labeling him a "staunch Taiwan independence separatist."

The report notes that this is the first time a Taiwanese legislator has been targeted since Chinese judicial authorities issued the "Opinions on Legally Punishing Separatists for Splitting the Country and Inciting Secession."

The report states that a Chinese scholar told state-run media that China could use international mechanisms, such as INTERPOL Red Notices or criminal judicial cooperation with other countries, to conduct transnational operations and arrest Shen. The Shen case is a typical example of Chinese authorities escalating from administrative sanctions to extraterritorial criminal prosecution, reflecting Beijing's narrative that "Taiwan is part of China."

Shen responded at the time, saying, "The Communist Party is targeting those who defend Taiwan. It doesn't matter; Taiwanese people are not afraid."

The Taiwanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs refuted claims that China could arrest Shen abroad through international organizations like INTERPOL or criminal judicial cooperation with other countries, calling it a typical act of Chinese "transnational repression."

In the section on "Subverting International Organizations," the report lists China's actions against members of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC). IPAC is one of the few international organizations that Taiwan can join under the name "Republic of China (Taiwan)."

IPAC Executive Director Luke de Pulford detailed to the CECC in a January interview the tactics China used to obstruct the 2025 IPAC summit. The summit was held at the European Parliament and featured a speech by Taiwanese Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim.

According to de Pulford, of the 12 invited African representatives, only two ultimately attended, which he attributed to Chinese interference. In one case, direct Chinese intervention led the Kenyan Ministry of Foreign Affairs to revoke the travel permits of its parliamentarians just 24 hours before their departure.

de Pulford further stated that Chinese pressure also led one of Zambia's co-chairs to resign after the summit, which could force Zambia to withdraw entirely from IPAC, as the alliance's membership requires at least two parliamentarians from each country.

The report states that such targeted actions have hindered IPAC's expansion in parts of Africa, and the Zambian case mirrors previous withdrawals of parliamentarians from Malawi and Gambia.

The CECC is an independent commission established by the U.S. Congress in October 2000 to monitor China's human rights situation and rule of law development. Its members are composed of U.S. federal senators, representatives, and officials. (Editor: Tien Jui-hua) 1150605