Voice of America
Date: November 11, 2019
By: Ralph Jennings

TAIPEI, TAIWAN – Amid tensions with Taiwan, China appears to be flexing its political muscle by capturing a growing number of Taiwanese for suspected political crimes, say analysts.

At least four people have vanished since 2017 on suspicion of spreading information that offends Chinese leaders, according to local media reports and Taiwan government officials.

Hundreds of thousands of Taiwanese invest in China but lack foreign diplomatic protection because the two governments do not get along.

Regional experts say these disappearances remind Taiwanese academics, merchants and investors to avoid spreading word of their homeland's democracy to China, including on social media, where firms such as China-based messaging app WeChat make it easier than ever to spread views among Chinese citizens. These users are at risk of being  caught by authorities who can check internet traffic.    [FULL  STORY]