"Diehard 'Taiwan independence' separatists" () is a term used by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the government of the People's Republic of China to refer to prominent supporters of Taiwan independence.
The Taiwan Affairs Office first published a list of organizations described as affiliated in 2022. The Chinese government has stated that individuals named on the list are subject to government sanctions and may be tried in absentia. Reported sanctions include lifelong criminal liability under the Anti-Secession Law, the Criminal Law and the National Security Law, and in some cases penalties up to and including the death penalty. Enterprises that donated to affiliated organizations were placed on a cooperation blacklist and their leaders were barred from entering China.
On 26 May 2024, the Supreme People's Court, the Supreme People's Procuratorate, the Ministry of Public Security, Ministry of State Security and the Ministry of Justice jointly issued the Guidelines on Imposing Criminal Punishments on Diehard "Taiwan independence" Separatists for Conducting or Inciting Secession, which set out the crimes, penalties, prosecution, and judicial procedures applicable to the Taiwan independence movement and to those identified as "die-hard 'Taiwan independence' elements".
History On 15 November 2020, Hong Kong Liaison Office's Ta Kung Pao quoted "authoritative sources" as saying that China is drafting a "list of die-hard pro-independence elements" and intends to "severely punish pro-Taiwan independence elements" and their supporters. This includes, but is not limited to, holding them accountable for life under the Anti-Secession Law, the Criminal Law and the National Security Law" for the "crime of secession".
On 18 November 2020, at a regular press conference of the Taiwan Affairs Office, in response to a reporter's inquiry about whether China was studying and formulating a list of "die-hard "Taiwan independence" elements", spokesperson Zhu Fenglian said that the actions of a "very small number of die-hard "Taiwan independence" elements" would not be tolerated. She said that the purpose of cracking down on these people and their financial backers is to "safeguard peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and the interests of people on both sides of the Strait". Zhu also said that "the unification of the two sides of the Strait is an unstoppable trend. All die-hard "Taiwan independence" elements who are stubborn and refuse to see the truth will be condemned by the people and punished by history." On 25 November, Zhu Fenglian confirmed that a list of "die-hard "Taiwan independence" elements" was being studied and formulated, and said precise measures would be taken to crack down on "die-hard "Taiwan independence" elements" and their financial backers and other major supporters.
List of diehard "Taiwan independence" separatists + Date Individual/entity Position when sanctioned Restrictions List type Travel restrictions Prohibition on communication Freezing of property 5 November 2021 Su Tseng-chang Premier of the Republic of China You Si-kun President of the Legislative Yuan Joseph Wu Minister of Foreign Affairs 3 August 2022 Taiwan Foundation for Democracy International Cooperation and Development Fund Xuande Energy Lingwang Technology Dawn Medical SkyEye Satellite Technology 16 August 2022 Hsiao Bi-khim Taiwanese Representative in the U.S. Wellington Koo Secretary-General of the National Security Council Tsai Chi-chang Vice President of the Legislative Yuan Ker Chien-ming Majority Leader of the Legislative Yuan Lin Fei-fan Deputy Secretary-General of the Democratic Progressive Party Chen Jiau-hua Chairperson of the New Power Party Wang Ting-yu Member of the Legislative Yuan Huang Yu-lin Executive Director of the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy Xiang Tianyi Secretary General of the International Cooperation and Development Foundation 7 April 2023 Prospect Foundation Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats 15 May 2024 Edward Huang Current affairs commentator Liu Bao-jie Television host Yu Beichen Taoyuan City Councillor Wang Yi-chuan Executive Director of the Policy Committee of the Democratic Progressive Party Lee Cheng-hao Current affairs commentator 14 October 2024 Robert Tsao Founder of the United Microelectronics Corporation Puma Shen Member of the Legislative Yuan Kuma Academy 5 June 2025Sicuens International 7 January 2026 Liu Shyh-fang Minister of the Interior Cheng Ying-yao Minister of Education Notes Other lists
Henchmen and accomplices of "Taiwan independence" At 8:00 a.m. on 26 March 2025, the Taiwan Affairs Office launched the "Reporting Column on the Vicious Acts of 'Taiwan Independence' Henchmen and Accomplices in Persecuting Taiwan Compatriots" for reporting "the henchmen and accomplices of 'Taiwan independence' persecution of Taiwan compatriots". This column claims to be used to report "political dissidents and political parties, groups, and individuals on the island who support the peaceful development and integration of cross-strait relations" who are suppressed and persecuted by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government, as well as "pro-independence organizations, pro-independence elements, public officials, and wing-based internet celebrities." On the same day, Chen Binhua, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office, said that the column had received 323 reports by 5:00 p.m. that day. He said that the reported individuals included Taiwanese Interior Minister Liu Shyh-fang, DPP legislators Puma Shen, Rosalia Wu, and Huang Jie, Taipei District Prosecutors Office prosecutors Lin Ta, Lin Chun-yen, and Lin Chun-ting, Kuma Academy's financial backer Robert Tsao, pro-DPP dentist Shih Shu-hua, internet celebrities Wen Tzu-yu (Ba Chiung) and Chen Po-yuan (Minnan Wolf PYC).
On 7 January 2026, Chen Binhua announced that Chen Shu-yi, a prosecutor at the Taiwan High Prosecutors Office, was listed as an accomplice of "Taiwan independence" and called her a "green judicial henchman". He said that she "persecuted Taiwanese people who support and participate in cross-strait exchanges and cooperation, and intimidated the Taiwanese people. Her actions were heinous and her crimes were serious". +List of henchmen and accomplices of "Taiwan independence"DateNamePosition when included26 March 2025Liu Shyh-fangMinister of the InteriorPuma ShenMember of the Legislative YuanRosalia WuHuang JieLin TaProsecutor of the Taipei District Prosecutors OfficeLin Chun-yenLin Chun-tingRobert TsaoKuma Academy investor and founder of UMCShih Shu-huaDentisitWen Tzu-yuYouTuberChen Po-yuanYouTuber, artist7 January 2026Chen Shu-yiProsecutor of the Taipei District Prosecutors Office
Taiwanese "talking heads" On 15 May 2024, the Taiwan Affairs Office spokesperson Chen Binhua announced that the mainland would punish five Taiwanese commentators, Huang Shicong, Li Zhenghao, Wang Yichuan, Yu Beichen, and Liu Baojie, and their families. Chen Binhua said that out that "these so-called "commentators" in Taiwan disregarded the fact that the mainland was developing and progressing, and deliberately fabricated false and negative information about the mainland, including "the mainland people can't afford tea eggs" and "the mainland high-speed rail has no backrests," and spread them widely through television, the Internet, newspapers and other media". He continued by saying "their erroneous remarks deceived some people on the island, incited hostility and confrontation between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait, and hurt the feelings of compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait".
"Taiwan independence" online army On 17 March 2025, the official WeChat account of the Ministry of State Security named four alleged key members of Taiwan's Communication Electronic Force Command, established in June 2017. Their ID numbers and dates of birth were published, stating that they "executed cyber warfare orders issued by the DPP authorities", and carried out espionage, sabotage and anti-propaganda activities. The MSS said that since 2023, they have also spread false information on network social media platforms under the name of "Anonymous 64" organization. On 5 June 2025, the Tianhe Branch of the Guangzhou Municipal Public Security Bureau issued a wanted notice, publicly seeking the arrest of 20 members of the Communication Electronic Force Command, and disclosing their names, photos and Taiwan ID numbers.
On 10 October 2025, the Ministry of State Security WeChat account officially published information on three members of what it said was "Taiwan independence internet army", stating that "the DPP authorities secretly cultivated online 'water army' members to promote their 'Taiwan independence' separatist scheme, and they infiltrated various online social platforms at home and abroad to fabricate false information, spread 'Taiwan independence' separatist fallacies, and deliberately provoke cross-strait confrontation and undermine peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait." It said the three individuals disclosed were part of the Taiwan Wangshi Art & Design under the command of the Military Intelligence Bureau.
Policies According to information revealed at the regular press conference of the Taiwan Affairs Office on 5 November 2021, the authorities plan to implement a series of "punishments" on the individuals listed and will pursue their criminal liability for life. The punishments include: prohibiting them and their families from entering mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau, restricting their affiliated institutions from cooperating with relevant organizations and individuals in mainland China, and prohibiting their affiliated enterprises and financiers from seeking profits in mainland China, as well as other measures.
On 21 June 2024, the Taiwan Affairs Office and other departments held a joint special press conference to announce the Supreme People's Court, the Supreme People's Procuratorate, the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of State Security, and the Ministry of Justice jointly issued the Guidelines on Imposing Criminal Punishments on Diehard "Taiwan independence" Separatists for Conducting or Inciting Secession. The Guidelines stipulate that the crimes of separatism and inciting separatism shall be "applied to a very small number of "Taiwan independence" stubborn elements" who "organize, plan and implement separatist acts such as 'legal Taiwan independence', 'seeking independence by relying on foreign countries', and 'seeking independence by force'"; and those who "collude with foreign or overseas institutions, organizations and individuals to carry out crimes of separatism and inciting separatism" shall be punished more severely. The Guidelines also stipulate that if "Taiwan independence" stubborn elements voluntarily abandon their "Taiwan independence" separatist stance and no longer carry out "Taiwan independence" separatist activities, the case may be withdrawn and no prosecution may be initiated. It also says that a trial in absentia may be applied to cases of "Taiwan independence" elements who commit crimes of separatism and inciting separatism, with penalties up to and including capital punishment.
On 7 August 2024, the Taiwan Affairs Office the Ministry of Public Security added a special column on "Punishing 'Taiwan Independence' die-hards in accordance with the law". In addition to listing the die-hards of "Taiwan independence", the column also includes relevant statements by the spokesperson, legal documents, clues and crimes of the die-hards of "Taiwan independence" listed in the report list, and reports of new die-hards of "Taiwan independence" with serious crimes. There are five major sections in total.
Punishing companies