China Offers $35,000 Bounty for Taiwanese Influencers Over Documentary Exposing Beijing's Unification Tactics

Taiwan on Thursday declared that the "so-called reward notice" was merely "just for show".

Chinese authorities announced on Thursday that they are offering bounties up to $35,000 for information leading to the arrest of Taiwanese influencers Wen Tzu-yu and Chen Po-yuan, whom they accuse of spreading "anti-China" content online.

According to the police statement, the two men "acted as enforcers and accomplices" of Taiwan independence movements, causing a "severely negative impact." The statement urged the public to provide any information regarding their whereabouts.

Beijing maintains that Taiwan is part of its territory and has repeatedly stated that it has not ruled out using military force to bring the island under its control.

Taiwanese authorities responded by criticizing these reward offers as being purely "for show," emphasizing that Beijing does not exercise any legitimate jurisdiction over the self-governed democratic island.

While Chinese authorities did not specify the exact content in question, it appears to be related to a documentary Wen uploaded in December featuring Chen. The documentary explored Beijing's efforts to court popular Taiwanese social media personalities to promote unification.

Police from Quanzhou in China's eastern Fujian province stated that the social media creators had "viciously attacked and smeared the mainland's preferential policies toward Taiwan."

Individuals who provide effective information or assist in capturing Wen and Chen could receive monetary rewards ranging from 50,000 to 250,000 yuan ($7,000 to $35,225).

The documentary, which investigated all-expenses-paid trips offered to Taiwanese influencers with substantial followings, garnered millions of views. It sparked significant outrage among groups in Taiwan who oppose Beijing's interference in Taiwanese politics.

On Thursday, Taiwan's officials dismissed the "so-called reward notice" as merely performative.

"Everyone knows that the accusation against them is basically that they are advocating Taiwan independence, and basically, for the CCP, this kind of charge doesn't require evidence at all," stated Liang Wen-chieh, deputy minister of Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council.

"The reward is merely for show, and it also serves to create division and conflict within Taiwanese society," Liang added.

In October, China also initiated an investigation into Puma Shen, a prominent Taiwanese lawmaker previously sanctioned by Beijing, for alleged criminal "separatist activities."

The public security bureau of southwestern Chongqing announced it had "decided to open a case for investigation" into Shen and will "pursue his criminal responsibility in accordance with the law."