Taiwan has ordered three mainland Chinese women—each married to Taiwanese men—to leave the island after they publicly supported a military takeover of Taiwan by Beijing. The decision has sparked concerns over free speech and cross-strait tensions.
Liu Zhenya, a mainland Chinese influencer, was given a deadline to leave by Tuesday or face deportation after Taiwan’s National Immigration Agency (NIA) found her social media posts promoted Beijing’s military intervention in Taiwan. Two others, identified as Zhao Zhan and an online personality known as En Qi, were also ordered to leave by March 31 or risk deportation for similar remarks, NIA officials confirmed Monday.
The move follows the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government’s increasingly strict stance on mainland influence, with Beijing officially labeled a “foreign hostile force.” Taiwan’s Interior Minister, Liu Shih-fang, announced that the trio’s residency and work permits, as well as their access to Taiwan’s public health insurance, had been revoked.
“After the administrative penalties were issued, we immediately notified the relevant authorities to revoke their permits,” Liu stated.
The case has sparked debate over the limits of free expression in Taiwan, particularly when it comes to political speech related to China. Some critics argue that while national security concerns are valid, the government must ensure that speech restrictions do not undermine democratic values.
