Taiwan probes organised crime links to China's 'transnational repression'

Taiwan is probing organised crime's links to Chinese efforts to carry out "transnational repression", a security official said on Thursday, after the island's government said Beijing was behind an attack on a comedian who mocked President Xi Jinping.



Taiwan, which China views as its own territory over the island's objections, has complained that Beijing is using various underhanded methods to go after Taiwanese who the Chinese government views as separatists or are otherwise politically suspect.



Speaking to reporters at parliament, Taiwan National Security Bureau Director-General Tsai Ming-yen said the local networks that cooperate in incidents like the comedian attack are mostly criminal gangs, or private investigation firms linked to organised crime.



"The National Security Bureau is more concerned with whether anyone behind them has been directed and funded by the Chinese Communist Party. How to dismantle the entire criminal group and network is a key focus for us," Tsai said.



Other China critics in Taiwan have also been attacked, including Hong Kong singer and activist Denise Ho. She was attacked in 2019 in Taipei by a masked man who threw red paint at her.