Date: November 29, 2016
MAC Press Release No. 86
The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) stated that, upon receiving notification from Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) today (November 29, 2016) that mainland China intends to detain and deport to the Mainland 21 Taiwanese nationals suspected of involvement in telecommunications fraud in Malaysia, it immediately demanded through cross-Strait liaison mechanisms that the Mainland actively coordinate the relevant departments. The 21 involved Taiwanese nationals should be allowed to be returned to Taiwan by the Taiwan side for trial according to law and should not be deported to the mainland China
After confirming today that 21 Taiwanese nationals were taken into custody and deported to mainland China, the MAC again voiced deep regrets to the Mainland and issued a solemn protest. Such unilateral actions by the Mainland ignore Taiwan's repeated appeals demanding that both sides deport their respective nationals to undergo trial according to law, damage the tacit understanding and foundation for cooperative investigation by public security agencies on the two sides, and further seriously harm the feelings of the Taiwanese people.
The MAC said it has demanded that, after the involved Taiwanese nationals are deported to mainland China, the Mainland should 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 the position of humanitarian concerns.
The MAC reiterated that the government has formed an inter-agency platform and implemented related strengthening measures to effectively combat cross-border telecommunications fraud. In early November, 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. However, ongoing cooperation between the two sides is the only way to effectively curb cross-border telecommunications fraud.
The MAC hoped that the Mainland could set aside prejudices and, on the existing basis of cooperation and through benign communication and dialogue between the two sides, continue to move forward, advance in the same direction, and jointly formulate proper approaches. Continued cooperation between public security agencies on both sides is conducive to combating telecommunications fraud and protecting 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 of the involved Taiwanese nationals to Taiwan already deported to Mainland China for investigation and trial according to law.