BEIJING, April 7. /TASS/. Beijing has imposed sanctions on two Taiwanese organizations - the Prospect Foundation and the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats - for their support of separatism, the Taiwan Affairs Office of the Chinese State Council announced on Friday.
According to the office, the organizations advocate for "Taiwan’s independence" under the guise of academic and research exchanges and violate the One-China principle. People in charge of the two institutions are banned from entering mainland China, Hong Kong and Macao, and Chinese organizations and individuals are prohibited from cooperating with them.
Beijing also introduced sanctions against Taiwan’s Representative to Washington Hsiao Bi-khim for her separatist stance, prohibiting her and her family members from entering mainland China, Hong Kong and Macao, and banning organizations and individuals in the mainland from cooperating with her affiliated companies.
On Wednesday, US House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy held a meeting with Taiwanese Administration Head Tsai Ing-wen, who is in transit through the US. After the meeting, the US emphasized the need to continue weapons sales to Taiwan. The Chinese Foreign Ministry issued a strong protest, saying that Beijing would take effective and decisive retaliatory measures.
Taiwan has been governed by its local administration since 1949 when the remaining Kuomintang forces led by Chiang Kai-shek (1887-1975) fled to the island after being defeated in China’s civil war. Since then, Taiwan has preserved the flag and some other symbols of the Republic of China that had existed in mainland China before the Communists came to power. Beijing regards the island as one of its provinces and this position is supported by most countries, including Russia.