Date：May 17, 2018
MAC Press Release No. 36
The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) stated in regards to mainland China's deportation from Spain of Taiwan suspects involved in telecommunications fraud that the Mainland has repeatedly ignored Taiwan's good intentions and appeal for joint cooperation. This undermines the foundation of mutual trust between the two sides. It also affects the rights and interests of the people of Taiwan and the benign development of cross-Strait relations. The MAC has solemnly protested to the Mainland side.
The MAC stated that it has demanded that the Mainland immediately notify Taiwan of restrictions to personal freedom after the involved persons are brought to mainland China, as stipulated under the Cross-Strait Agreement on Joint Crime-Fighting and Judicial Mutual Assistance. The Mainland should also assist in arranging matters related to family visits, protect the judicial rights of the personnel, and follow due legal process. The MAC further demanded to the Mainland that the Taiwanese nationals involved in the case who are still in Spain should be brought back to Taiwan by the Taiwan side for investigation and trial according to law. Joint investigation and exchange of evidence between the two sides is the only way to thoroughly break up crime syndicates and deter the occurrence of such crimes.
The MAC explained that in the handling of cross-border telecommunications fraud cases, the government's consistent position has been that the Taiwan nationals involved should be brought back to Taiwan. The only way to thoroughly combat cross-border telecommunications fraud and break up criminal syndicates is by gathering comprehensive evidence on the crimes through cooperation among various parties, conducting investigations and trials based on thorough examination of all of the evidence by the prosecutorial and judicial authorities according to due process principles, and then continuing the prosecution up to the ringleaders of the crime. Since 2016, the government has formed an inter-agency platform, established a center to combat fraud, amended the Criminal Code, the Money Laundering Control Act, and the Organized Crime Prevention Act, and taken other related actions to strengthen the fight against cross-border telecommunications fraud. It has also integrated the forces of related ministries and departments to deliberate various ways to more strongly crack down on cross-border telecommunications fraud and intensify efforts to track down and arrest the ringleaders of criminal organizations. Significant achievements in curbing cross-border telecommunications fraud have also been achieved through cooperation and vigorous action by the executive, legislative, and judicial branches.
The MAC stressed that since the occurrence of this case in December 2016, the government has repeatedly called on the Mainland to cooperate in combating crime. However, the Mainland has not implemented the Cross-Strait Agreement on Joint Crime-Fighting and Mutual Judicial Assistance signed by the two sides. On the contrary, it has forcibly deported Taiwan nationals to mainland China and has even refused requests for family visits to the Mainland. These actions have not only slowed and prevented the effective eradication of cross-border telecommunications fraud, but have also seriously infringed the rights of the people of Taiwan and highlighted the different values of the two sides in combating crime and pursuing human rights. The MAC again called on the Mainland to promptly begin cooperating with public security agencies in Taiwan to investigate cases to the source, bring the ringleaders behind the scenes to justice, and thereby fight crime and protect the welfare of the people on both sides.