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Taiwan accuses Beijing of ‘malicious sensationalism’ after state TV broadcast of ‘spy’s confession’
- Island’s Mainland Affairs Council says Beijing is manufacturing crimes and entrapping people after airing footage of espionage suspect Lee Meng-chu
- Lee was detained in Shenzhen last year and is accused of supporting Taiwanese independence and the Hong Kong protest movement
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Taiwan has accused Beijing of “malicious political sensationalism” after airing the supposed confession of a man accused of spying.
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Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council said late on Sunday that the Chinese Communist Party had engaged in “deliberate manipulation” in the case of Lee Meng-chu, who was detained in what was described as a broader crackdown on Taiwanese spies.
It also accused the mainland authorities of damaging cross-strait relations and interfering in Taiwan’s democracy. “The [council] formally issues a warning to the CCP to stop its actions to entrap and manufacture crimes, and frame Taiwanese people without reason,” it said.
“The CCP had the relevant person in this case confess to crimes and express repentance on its official media, which completely does not fit with normal legal procedure.”
The statement followed Lee’s appearance on mainland state broadcaster CCTV’s programme Focus Talk on Sunday, one day after Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen called for “meaningful dialogue” with mainland China during celebrations to mark the anniversary of the foundation of the Republic of China.
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