Beijing [China], May 16 : China's Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) said that they will "punish" five Taiwanese TV commentators for being critical of China, reported Taiwan News.
TAO spokesperson Chen Binhua, in a press briefing, said China would impose sanctions on five Taiwanese TV commentators, including Wang Yi-chuan, Edward Huang, Lee Cheng-hao, Yu Pei-chen, and Liu Baojie.
Chen further claimed that they "deliberately fabricated false and negative information" about China and "instigated cross-strait confrontations."
He alleged their "erroneous remarks deceived some Taiwanese people, incited hostility and confrontation across the strait, and hurt the feelings of compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait."
Chen said Beijing would "punish the five individuals and their families under the law", Taiwan News reported.
"To remain silent and condone evil is to be unjust and harmful to goodness," Chen added.
Public opinion is not outside the law, and any behaviour that fabricates, spreads rumours, disrupts social order, and damages national honour and interests will be punished by law, Chen stressed, reported Taiwan News.
Responding to questions on mentioning the specific sanctions and whether Taiwan's institutional guarantee of freedom of speech would lead to increasing distance between Taiwan and China, Chen referred to previous measures by China against Taiwan's independence and emphasised that freedom of speech is not beyond the law, "nor is it a talisman or shield for wrongdoing."
Notably, previous measures taken by China against Taiwanese pro-independence figures, included, prohibiting them and their families from entering China, Hong Kong, and Macau, restricting their affiliated organisations from cooperating with China-related entities or individuals, and not allowing their associated businesses and sponsors to profit in China, Taiwan News reported, citing, Yahoo News.
Earlier on Wednesday, Taiwan's Presidential Office spokesperson Olivia Lin said that Taiwan is a democratic country and "the Constitution expressly guarantees people's freedom of speech."
Lin further stressed that "China has no right to interfere," Taiwan News reported.
In retaliation, Lin said that the government would spare no effort to ensure the safety of the Taiwanese threatened.
Lin pointed out that the Beijing authorities have long lacked institutional confidence and have consistently used various forms of suppression and threats against dissenting voices at home and abroad, as reported by Taiwan News.
"It is common knowledge that people and media reporters have been detained and persecuted, which has consistently kept China's human rights ranking at the bottom," Lin said.
Lin continued, that this time, China's leaders not only showed no signs of improvement but also extended their infringement on democratic freedoms to Taiwan, naming and threatening media personnel and their families.
"This arbitrary and overbearing behaviour not only deepens the mistrust of Taiwan but also further tarnishes China's international image," said Lin.
Moreover, Lin called on China to align with Taiwanese society and face the values of freedom, democracy and diversity more confidently.
"Only through mutual respect and a pragmatic attitude toward promoting cross-strait exchanges can the relationship between the two sides of the strait be improved and the well-being of the people enhanced," Lin said.