By Chung Li-hua and Jake Chung / Staff reporter, with staff writer
The Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) yesterday advised Taiwanese traveling to China to be careful when taking photos, as specific postures and positions could send messages that could lead to their arrest by Chinese authorities.
Starting in July, public security or national security officials can inspect or confiscate anyone’s phones or electronic devices after the official shows proof of their identity, SEF Secretary-General Luo Wen-chia (羅文嘉) said.
Taiwanese traveling to China, whether for pleasure or business, would inevitably take photos, and they must be careful that their photos do not contravene regulations as dictated by the Chinese Ministry of State Security.
Straits Exchange Foundation Secretary-General Luo Wen-jia is pictured in an undated photograph
Photo: Chung Li-hua, Taipei Times
The ministry’s official WeChat account said that travelers could be detained if their photos express three types of information, including geographical information, were taken near sensitive areas, or facilities of critical infrastructure or scientific research, or exposed certain documents, indexes or design blueprints.
Luo cited as a warning the Taiwanese youth who was arrested last month and detained for three days after posing at Tiananmen Square.
The Taiwanese made a “V” sign that covered some Chinese characters on the entrance to the Forbidden City, making it appear to say “Long Live the Republic of China” (中華民國萬歲) rather than “Long Live the People’s Republic of China” (中華人民共和國萬歲), Luo said.
There was also an influx of fake down jackets being sold in China, which use recycled feathers from badminton shuttlecocks, Luo said, adding that the jackets not only fail to keep the wearer warm, but they might also poison or cause an allergic reaction.
Some feminine products sold in China also had high residual amounts of formaldehyde, and some even contained insect eggs, he cited media reports as saying.
Luo urged Taiwanese to pay attention to the original production area of down jackets and feminine products, and to refrain from purchasing such items online.
