TAIPAI / BEIJING (Reuters) – Taiwan’s government has condemned the election after it released a documentary showing a Taiwanese citizen confessing to visiting Hong Kong to support anti-government protesters, citing roof and rigging.
China, which claims to democratically govern Taiwan as its own state, has condemned Taipei for supporting the Chinese-led protest movement in Hong Kong, saying Taiwan and Hong Kong’s military forces are cooperating.
Taiwan says it has a duty to stand up for democracy and human rights.
Late Sunday, a documentary was shown by Chinese state television in which it was said that Morrison Lee, who was arrested by police on suspicion of violating national security laws last year in Shenzhen, which borders Hong Kong.
State television said Lee went to Hong Kong to support the protesters, and then to Chinese paramilitary police who secretly went to Shenzhen to make a film.
“I am very sorry. I have said many bad, wrong things in the past that have harmed the motherland and the country,” Lee said at the prison-dressed event.
In Taipei, the show was labeled “complete nonsense” by the Mainland Affairs Council.
“This, on the other hand, is a malicious political affiliation, enticing one of our people to engage in espionage activity, deliberately damaging relations in the Taiwan Sea,” it said.
China should stop trying to frame Taiwanese citizens, the council added, adding that imposing Li on television is against the legal process.
Rights groups and Western governments have expressed outrage over previous instances in China where suspects were put on state television for confession before their trial.
Allegations of espionage come as relations between Taipei and Beijing continue to weaken, with China conducting military exercises near the island in recent weeks.
Taiwan says it will not provoke China or try war, but will defend itself and stand up for its democratic lifestyle.
(Reporting by Ben Blancard and Yimo Lee and the Beijing Newsroom. Editing by Gary Doyle)
