Taiwan has accused China of cross-border repression following an incident where Chinese state media and social media accounts shared private information of Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislator Puma Shen. The shared data included satellite images of Shen’s home and workplace in Taipei, according to local reports.
The Taiwanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the Chinese state-controlled media for using “digital authoritarianism” and “doxxing” tactics to intimidate Taiwanese citizens. The ministry stated the intent was to create a climate of fear and silence people in Taiwan’s democratic society, as reported by the Taipei Times.
On January 2, a Facebook post by ‘Strait Plus,’ linked to Chinese government media, claimed that a Chinese social media influencer had revealed Shen’s home and office locations. The influencer allegedly purchased commercial satellite imagery of Taipei and marked Shen’s residence and workplace on it.
The influencer also claimed that the Chongqing Municipal Public Security Bureau in China had declared Puma Shen “wanted” in 2025 for alleged criminal cases related to separatist activities in Taiwan.
The Taiwanese Foreign Ministry called the actions of ‘Strait Plus’ a violation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Citing Article 12, the ministry emphasised that no one should face arbitrary interference with their privacy, family, home, or correspondence, nor attacks on their honour and reputation.
The ministry described the post as a “gross violation of personal privacy beyond the limits of civility” and condemned this behaviour as “reprehensible.”
It further stated that China’s cross-border repression, persecution, and interference targeting Taiwan and other countries seriously breach international law and human rights standards. The ministry reiterated that China and Taiwan are not subordinate to each other, and China holds no jurisdiction over the people of Taiwan.
To enhance protection, Taiwan announced it will strengthen emergency response and rescue mechanisms at its overseas missions to ensure the safety of Taiwanese citizens abroad. It also called on other countries to condemn China’s human rights violations and end its “long-arm jurisdiction” and cross-border repression.
The Ministry of Digital Affairs in Taiwan described the incident as cyberbullying involving doxxing and digital pressure. The ministry appealed to the public to resist such elements and refrain from spreading hateful content on social media. It highlighted that marking a person’s residence on commercial satellite imagery and making it public is a serious invasion of privacy and illegal.
The ministry also stated it had requested Meta to remove content that endangers personal safety.
My name is Bhupendra Singh Chundawat. I am an experienced content writer with several years of expertise in the field. Currently, I contribute to Daily Kiran, creating engaging and informative content across a variety of categories including technology, health, travel, education, and automobiles. My goal is to deliver accurate, insightful, and captivating information through my words to help readers stay informed and empowered.
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