Date: January 3, 2017
MAC Press Release No. 002
The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) stated that, upon receiving notification from related agencies that four Taiwan nationals were taken to Mainland China on January 1, 2017, it immediately expressed deep regrets and solemnly protested to the Mainland side. The MAC believes this move by the Mainland again ignores Taiwan's appeals and affects the foundation of mutual trust for joint crime-fighting across the Taiwan Strait. It also affects Taiwan's upstream investigations to track down the crime bosses behind the scenes and is not helpful to breaking up criminal organizations involved in cross-border telecommunications fraud.
The MAC explained that it has demanded that the Mainland promptly make notification of restrictions to personal freedom, as stipulated under the Cross-Strait Agreement on Joint Crime-Fighting and Judicial Mutual Assistance. It should also protect the relevant judicial rights of Taiwanese nationals in the Mainland, follow due process, and assist in arranging matters related to family visits based on the position of humanitarian concerns.
The MAC stressed that the government has formed an inter-agency platform, formulated strengthening measures, established a center to combat fraud, and integrated inter-agency information to more strongly combat fraud syndicates at the source. The government has also collected a large data repository and is cooperating with other countries. To date, several criminal syndicates with overseas fraud operations have been stopped. In November 2016, the Taiwan police cracked a money laundering operation in a cross-border telecommunications fraud case, showing Taiwan's achievements in combating cross-border telecommunications fraud.
The MAC again called on the Mainland to cherish the cumulative results of cross-Strait consultation and cooperation on such cases, continue to carry out benign communication and dialogue, jointly formulate a proper approach, to effectively combat cross-border telecommunications fraud, and strengthen protection of the interests and well-being of the people on both sides.
The MAC stated that the government will also continue to endeavor to communicate with the Mainland to seek the return to Taiwan of the involved personnel deported to Mainland China for investigation and trial according to law.