Taiwan publisher sentenced to three years for inciting separatism in China

In March 2023, a Taiwanese editor-in-chief named Li Yanha was detained while visiting relatives in China. He was later sentenced to three years in prison by a Chinese court for allegedly inciting separatism. During his detention, Li was reported to have been held under investigation by anti-espionage authorities, with details surrounding his case remaining sparse until his sentencing became known in March 2025. Li worked for Gusa Publishing, a Taiwanese publishing house known for producing books that are critical of the Chinese Communist Party and discuss sensitive topics within China, including corruption and the Tiananmen Square protests. His arrest and subsequent conviction have raised alarms among rights groups and the Taiwanese government, who argue that such actions are aimed at suppressing Taiwan's cultural and academic freedoms. The Taiwanese government has condemned Li's sentence as an attempt to intimidate other publishers and reduce the diversity of thought within Taiwan's cultural landscape. Gusa Publishing expressed disbelief in a public statement, where they labeled Li as simply a publisher and condemned his conviction as arbitrary. The case has stirred concern among members of the Chinese-language publishing community worldwide, who fear that it sets a precedent for limiting artistic and intellectual freedoms beyond China's borders. Li's situation reflects the broader tension between Taiwan and China, which has been intensifying in recent years. The Chinese government has made it clear that it views Taiwan as a breakaway province and has vowed to unify the island with the mainland, employing various means, including legal and military pressure. Experts suggest that prosecutions like Li's demonstrate China's ongoing efforts to impose its authority and suppress dissenting voices even in areas like publishing that traditionally uphold freedom of expression, bringing to light the precarious position of Taiwan in its quest for sovereignty.