Taiwan protests deportations

TAIPEI: Taiwan issued a protest to Indonesia yesterday over a decision by the country to deport 22 Taiwanese fraud suspects to China, the latest such deportation to hit the island amid frosty cross-strait ties.

The move comes days after Indonesian police said they had busted a sprawling US$450 million (RM1.9 billion) cyber fraud ring targeting businessmen and politicians in China.

Taiwan’s foreign ministry said its deported nationals were among 143 Chinese and Taiwanese suspects arrested in raids on July 29 in various locations including Jakarta, the city of Surabaya and on the island of Bali.

In a statement, the ministry said Jakarta had ignored Taipei’s request that the Taiwanese suspects be returned to the island and instead sent them to the mainland cities of Chengdu and Tianjin yesterday.

“China continues to forcibly take Taiwanese to the mainland, ignoring our goodwill and appeal,” the Mainland Affairs Council, said. – AFP