Four Taiwanese employees of Foxconn, one of Apple’s key suppliers, have been detained in Zhengzhou, China, since January, prompting concerns from Taiwan’s government. The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC), Taiwan’s top agency for cross-strait relations, has described the circumstances surrounding the detentions as “quite strange,” calling into question the actions of Chinese security officials.
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According to the Central News Agency (CNA), the four workers were arrested by the local public security bureau on charges of “breach of trust.” Despite the accusations, Foxconn, officially known as Hon Hai Precision Industry, has maintained that the detained employees had not harmed the company’s interests and that it had not suffered any losses.
The detentions are the latest in a series of troubling incidents involving Taiwanese citizens in China, sparking fears about the safety and legal protections for Taiwanese nationals working across the strait.
Accusations of Corruption and Abuse of Power
The MAC has hinted at the possibility of corruption and abuse of power by Chinese officials, citing concerns that the case could involve misconduct by public security personnel. “The case may involve corruption and abuse of power by a small number of public security officials, which has severely damaged business confidence,” the MAC said in a statement. This sentiment was echoed by Taiwanese media, which reported suspicions about the fairness and transparency of the detentions.
While Chinese authorities have confirmed that the workers were detained on suspicion of accepting bribes and embezzling funds, the MAC is urging an immediate investigation to clarify the matter. The Mainland Affairs Council also expressed concerns that the case was handled with irregularities, further damaging trust between Taiwanese businesses and Chinese authorities.
Impact on Cross-Strait Business Relations
The incident has exacerbated long-standing tensions between China and Taiwan, with business confidence taking a hit. Foxconn, as the world’s largest contract electronics manufacturer and a major assembler of Apple’s iPhones, has a significant presence in China. Zhengzhou, often referred to as “iPhone City,” houses Foxconn’s largest iPhone assembly plant.
For decades, Taiwanese businesses flocked to China, lured by the shared language, culture, and low production costs. However, relations between the two governments have deteriorated since the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) took power in Taiwan in 2016. Investment from Taiwanese companies in China has declined, and incidents like this are likely to further deter business operations.
The MAC noted that such actions have “severely damaged business confidence” and urged Beijing to address the matter promptly to avoid further straining cross-strait business relations. The council added that Foxconn is working to protect the legal rights of its employees and has raised concerns about the actions of Chinese officials.
Growing Pattern of Detentions
This latest case adds to a growing list of Taiwanese individuals detained in China under increasingly strict national security and anti-espionage laws. According to Taiwan’s National Security Bureau, 15 Taiwanese citizens have been detained or put on trial in China over the past year, while 51 have been interrogated at the border.
Last month, a Taiwanese independence activist, Yang Chih-yuan, was sentenced to nine years in prison for secession, marking the first prosecution of its kind. Additionally, an executive from Taiwan’s Formosa Plastics was detained as he attempted to leave China.
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In response to these developments, Taiwan’s government raised its travel warning for China, Hong Kong, and Macau in June, advising its citizens to avoid unnecessary travel to these regions due to the legal risks posed by China’s national security laws.
