Entry ban for Taiwan ministers

Beijing banned two Taiwanese ministers from entering China for alleged separatist activities related to “Taiwan independence” yesterday, prompting an angry response from Taipei, which said it would not bow to “threats and intimidation”.

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The office described Taiwanese Interior Minister Liu Shyh-fang and Education Minister Cheng Ying-yao as “die-hard Taiwan independence secessionists” and banned them as well as their relatives, from entry. The ban also extends to Hong Kong and Macau.

Beijing claims democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory and has not ruled out the use of force to take control of the island. Taipei strongly objects to Beijing's sovereignty claims and says only Taiwan's people can decide their future.