Taipei [Taiwan], August 25 : The Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) handled 94 incidents between January and last month concerning the personal safety of Taiwanese businesspeople in China, according to a report by the Taipei Times.
The cases involved issues such as restrictions on freedom due to legal disputes, medical evacuations, lost or expired documents, and even matters related to funerals and compensation.
The Taipei Times noted that this figure represents a slight decline compared with the same period in 2024, though concerns remain, especially with four elderly members of the I-Kuan Tao religious group, all over 70, still detained by Chinese authorities and expected to face prosecution.
Further, the Taipei Times highlighted that the SEF does not have offices in China and instead depends on Taiwanese business associations to provide immediate aid and gather information in emergencies. It also communicates with its Chinese counterpart, the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits, to coordinate with Beijing's authorities when required.
The Taipei Times reported that many of the cases cannot be made public due to personal data or sensitive business information. Moreover, SEF statistics typically remain under their original classifications -- for instance, an individual initially reported as "missing" may later be confirmed as detained, but the official records are not altered. Such "missing" cases can range from short-term loss of contact to undisclosed detentions.
Upon receiving a case, the SEF said it quickly reaches out to families or the person involved to assess needs, offer support, and sometimes issue reminders or warnings to other Taiwanese businesspeople working in China.