Taiwan warns of security risks for citizens traveling to China under new entry, exit rules

Taipei [Taiwan], September 14 (ANI): Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) and security experts have warned of potential risks for Taiwanese people travelling to China following the implementation of new entry and exit regulations. However, Taiwan currently has no plans to raise its travel alert for China, according to a report by the Central News Agency (CNA).
MAC Deputy Head Shen Yu-chung said the new regulations could create risks involving information, business and personal security. He urged people to carefully evaluate the potential risks and avoid unnecessary travel to China.
Shen identified five groups that could face increased risks under the new rules: Taiwanese businesspeople working in China, executives of Taiwanese companies, employees in the semiconductor and other high-tech industries, frontline civil servants, and members of certain religious groups.
Shen issued the warning ahead of a Taipei forum focused on China’s new regulations. The event was organized by the Asia-Pacific Elite Interchange Association (APEIA).
He recommended that people belonging to the potentially affected groups register their trips to China as an additional safety measure. However, Shen said the MAC is not currently considering raising its travel alert for China from the existing “orange” level to the highest “red” level. The orange alert advises people to avoid non-essential travel.
Speaking at the forum, Shen said the new regulations allow Chinese customs officials and visa authorities to demand that people entering or leaving China provide files and digital information, including data stored on mobile phones and laptops.
According to Shen, such requirements could increase the possibility of sensitive business information, trade secrets or individuals’ political views being exposed.
He also said the regulations allow Chinese authorities to prevent individuals from leaving the country if they are found to have violated export controls or technology management regulations, or if they are considered to pose a threat to the security of Chinese industries or technologies.
Under the new rules, Chinese authorities are also not required to notify individuals who are subjected to exit restrictions about the restriction, its reasons or legal basis, or the legal remedies available to them, Shen said.
As a result, people affected by such restrictions may only discover that they have been prevented from leaving China when they are preparing to depart the country, he warned.
Shen suggested that the provisions could be connected to China’s competition with the United States in the semiconductor and broader high-tech sectors, as well as Beijing’s efforts to prevent the outflow of skilled talent, as cited by CNA.
Hsu Kai-chieh, a judge with the National Security Division of the Taipei District Court, said the new regulations are based on China’s Exit and Entry Administration Law, which was enacted in 2012 and includes Taiwanese nationals under its definition of “Chinese citizens.”
As a result, Taiwanese nationals are “without a doubt” covered by the regulations, Hsu said.
He pointed out that comparable measures already exist in China, referring to the 2023 amendment to the country’s Counter-Espionage Law. That amendment allows foreign nationals suspected of espionage activities to be prevented from leaving China.
Hsu said the latest regulations have been added to existing measures, with particular emphasis on export controls and restrictions related to technology.
Meanwhile, APEIA Secretary-General Arthur Wang said it could be difficult to determine what Chinese authorities would consider to be activities “involving national security.”
He warned that the provisions could potentially apply to statements made by friends or family members expressing support for Taiwan, as well as participation in certain international organizations or religious groups.
China’s Taiwan Affairs Office spokesperson Zhang Han said on Sept. 2 that the new regulations are intended to regulate entry and exit procedures, safeguard the legal rights of customs personnel, and “protect national sovereignty, safety and developmental benefits.” 
Zhang also said the regulations are intended to establish “a better legal environment for the people of Taiwan,” according to CNA. (ANI)