Measures to counter separatists unveiled

China on Friday launched a series of countermeasures against individuals and institutions engaged in activities violating the one-China principle and supporting "Taiwan independence".

The Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee on Friday announced sanctions against Hsiao Bi-khim, a die-hard "Taiwan independence" separatist who is now the representative of the island's secession-desiring Democratic Progressive Party authorities in the United States.

The sanctions ban Hsiao and her family from entering the mainland and the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions, and prohibit Hsiao's sponsors and affiliated enterprises from cooperating with mainland organizations and individuals.

Depending on foreign influence and seeking "independence" by relying on the US, Hsiao deliberately provoked confrontations between the two sides of the Taiwan Straits and wantonly undermined peace and stability across the Straits, further exposing her stubborn nature of seeking "independence", according to the Taiwan work office.

The mainland could take all other necessary punitive measures to hold her accountable in accordance with the law, the office said.

History has proved and will continue to prove that "Taiwan independence" is a dead end, and the diehard "Taiwan independence" separatists who rely on the willful provocation of external forces will surely fail, according to the Taiwan work office.

On the same day, the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council announced the decision to take punitive measures against Taiwan's Prospect Foundation and the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats.

The leaders of the two organizations are banned from entering the mainland and the Hong Kong and Macao SARs. Organizations and individuals on the mainland are prohibited from cooperating with the two organizations and their leaders, according to the office.

Zhu Fenglian, a spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said that under the instigation of the Democratic Progressive Party, and under the guise of "academic exchanges" and "seminars", the two organizations used the pretext of democracy, freedom and cooperation to peddle the idea of "Taiwan independence" in the international arena.

The two organizations are trying their best to approach, attract and support anti-China forces, creating incidents that violate the one-China principle, and expanding Taiwan's so-called international space, Zhu added.

In addition, the Foreign Ministry issued a statement on Friday on countermeasures against the US-based Hudson Institute and the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and their leaders for providing platforms and convenience for Taiwan leader Tsai Ing-wen to engage in "Taiwan independence" separatist activities in the US.

Despite China's repeated representations and firm opposition, the US insisted on allowing Tsai to "transit" through the US and make a "sneaky" visit to the country to engage in political activities from March 29 to 31 and April 4 to 6, said the statement.

The Hudson Institute and the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library provided the platforms and convenience for Tsai's separatist activities, which seriously violates the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiques and severely undermines China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, it said.

China strictly restricts its institutions of higher learning, organizations and individuals from having transactions, exchanges and cooperation and other activities with the Hudson Institute and the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.

Countermeasures, including freezing their properties in China and banning Chinese organizations and individuals from transactions and cooperation with them, will be taken against four people including the Hudson Institute's Board of Trustees Chair Sarah May Stern and the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation's former executive director John Heubusch, said the ministry.