Brian Hioeby Brian Hioe
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Photo Credit: Hsu Chiao-hsin/Facebook
RECENT COMMENTS by KMT legislator Hsu Chiao-hsin lashed out at YouTuber “Anxious Housewife Lia.” Specifically, Hsu attacked Lia as a supporter of the DPP.
Such comments do not surprise from Hsu, who is known as a political firebrand in the KMT. Likewise, Hsu is a rising star in the party, as one of the KMT’s younger up-and-coming politicians. Although Hsu originally became known in the KMT through calling for reform in the party to change its pro-China image, she has become increasingly hardline as time has gone on–perhaps to win votes, with the KMT having lurched significantly toward the deep Blue end of the political spectrum in past years.
But Hsu’s comments are of particular sensitivity, given Lia’s background. Lia was originally a Chinese national, who obtained ROC citizenship through marriage to a Taiwanese person.
In a public statement, Lia criticized Hsu’s framing of her as a mainland spouse. Though Lia emphasized that she had never expressed support for the DPP, Lia brought up that she has an elderly mother who still lives in China, and that being labeled as a supporter of the DPP could potentially deprive Lia of the opportunity to visit her mother in her twilight years. In the statement, Lia also emphasized that attending election-watching events was merely by virtue of being an Internet personality, rather on the basis of support for one party or another.
Lia has historically sought to avoid being framed as of one political persuasion or another, given the potential repercussions. However, in the past, Lia expressed support for Taiwan’s democracy.
There were past incidents in which Lia potentially faced retaliation during trips to China. At one point in late 2022, Lia experienced unexpected delays in receiving a travel permit required from China to return to Taiwan, after returning to her hometown of Dalian to invalidate her household registration.
Given the possibility of being unable to return to Taiwan, Lia recorded a video clip about her dilemma. The Mainland Affairs Council, at the time, stated that it would be in contact with relevant authorities to ensure that Lia would be able to safely return.
Statement on Facebook from Lia calling attention to Hsu’s comments
There have been other cases, however, in which a Chinese individual who acquired ROC nationality was not allowed to return to Taiwan. One prominent case in question involved Li Yanhe, the editor-in-chief of Gusa Publishing, who was better known by his pen name of Fucha and has been residing in Taiwan since 2009.
After obtaining ROC nationality through marriage, Li traveled to China to visit friends and family in March 2023. Li also aimed to give up his Chinese citizenship, something required by ROC law. Yet Li was detained by Chinese authorities and has been held since then.
It is thought this occurred due to Li’s work. Gusa Publishing publishes a number of books critical of the Chinese government. This includes books detailing the Chinese government’s attempts to expand influence through media, such as He Qingilian’s Red Infiltration: The Reality of China’s Global Media Expansion. Other publications include translations, as in publishing the Chinese language translation of Louisa Lim’s People’s Republic of Amnesia. Fucha’s detention, then, raises the possible consequences that face Chinese nationals if they engage in political commentary in Taiwan that does not necessarily reflect well on the CCP.
To this extent, one notes that Chinese nationals may face arbitrary targeting when put in the line of fire as Hsu has Lia. This could occur from both political camps in Taiwan.
Ironically, Hsu’s comments come at a time in which the KMT calls for reducing the period for naturalization for Chinese spouses of Taiwanese. More generally, the KMT has sought to position itself as defending the interests of Chinese spouses in Taiwan, in the hopes of wooing Chinese spouses as a demographic to back in elections.
By contrast, the KMT has frequently framed the DPP as irrationally hostile toward Chinese residing in Taiwan. This has occurred in light of the current debate around naturalization, with the DPP raising questions about the potential impact on elections if it becomes easier for Chinese nationals to naturalize. But Hsu’s comments also go to show how the KMT is potentially hostile to Chinese in Taiwan who vote against it and, in this way, could even perhaps retaliate against them.