Chinese National Arrested After Assault on Japanese Commentator
A Chinese national was arrested at Taichung airport after allegedly assaulting Japanese political commentator Yaita Akio following a speech on regional security. Security footage appears to show the suspect shouting at Yaita and punching him in the face before attempting to flee Taiwan. Taiwan's government has described the incident as "trans-national repression," but the suspect's motive remains unclear.
Think Tank Speaker Punched
REPORTER:
A Chinese national has been arrested after allegedly assaulting the Japanese head of a think tank in Taiwan.
Yaita Akio, an expert on China issues, says he was punched in the face in the lobby of a Taichung Hotel after delivering a talk on regional security. Police say they tracked the suspect, surnamed Liao, using hotel security footage. He was later arrested at Taichung airport attempting to leave the country. Two of Taiwan’s government ministries described the attack as “transnational repression” and tied it to China’s new Ethnic Unity Law. Liao is a Hong Kong resident. Police are investigating his motives.
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Think Tank Speaker Punched
REPORTER:
A Chinese national, surnamed Liao, was arrested in Taichung International Airport trying to flee after assaulting think tank CEO Akio Yaita.
Liao followed Yaita after a speech on cross-strait relations and Indo-Pacific security, and according to security footage, shouted at Yaita before punching him in the face. The motive for the attack is not yet known, though Yaita has suggested it may be because of his public criticism of China.
Both the Mainland Affairs Council and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have tied the attack to China’s Ethnic Unity Law, calling the attack an act of “transnational repression.” There is not yet any evidence to support these claims, although the MAC has pointed to similarities between the attack and two previous vandalism attacks by Hong Kong residents in the last year.
