Former Taiwan Prisoner Li Ming-che Accuses China of Transnational Repression

Lee Ming-che, who was arrested by mainland China in 2018 for participating in a Taiwanese human rights organization and charged with "subversion of state power," subsequently spent five years imprisoned in a Beijing jail. Following his release late last year, he first underwent medical treatment and psychological counseling in Taiwan, receiving care and assistance from numerous multinational non-governmental organizations and free, democratic nations. This experience is not only a trauma to his personal body and mind, but has also become a microcosm of cross-strait political and human rights issues. During his European itinerary this month, Lee specifically chose the German capital of Berlin as a platform to voice his perspective, intending to make the international community aware of the methods of China's transnational repression and the actual plight of its victims.

In an exclusive interview with the Central News Agency in Berlin, Lee emphasized that he is unwilling to be simply labeled as a "victim of a miscarriage of justice." He pointed out that over the past five years, he not only endured physical and psychological torture in prison, but also witnessed Chinese authorities systematically silencing dissent through imprisonment, coerced confessions, and prolonged interrogation. Such tactics are no longer limited to individual cases, but have formed a pattern of transnational suppression, with similar oppressive methods visible from the anti-extradition bill movement in Hong Kong to the democratic movement in Taiwan. Lee believes that only by linking personal experiences to broader institutional oppression can the international community make more concrete policy-level responses.

The context of Lee's current visit to Germany also echoes the recent rise in attention among European countries regarding human rights issues in China. Since 2022, the German parliament has repeatedly passed resolutions demanding diplomatic protection for political prisoners detained in China and calling on the European Union to set stricter conditions for trade and technological cooperation with China. The German government also launched a "Human Rights and Democracy" fund last year to finance legal aid and psychological recovery for the persecuted. In his interview, Lee mentioned that it is precisely this institutionalized support that allowed him to still feel the care of a "free society" while in prison, thereby inspiring his motivation to transform his personal experience into a public asset.

Speaking about his future action plans, Lee stated that he will use this trip to Europe to hold seminars with lawmakers, scholars, and human rights organizations from various countries, sharing first-hand data collected during his imprisonment and explaining how Chinese authorities extend the tracking of dissidents overseas through "cross-border surveillance" and "judicial cooperation." This information not only helps various nations formulate more precise preventive mechanisms, but also gives a voice to victims in international forums, forming continuous oversight of China's human rights record. Lee hopes that through systematic dialogue and information sharing, "personal suffering" will no longer be an isolated tragedy, but a practical basis for promoting international human rights legal norms and diplomatic policy adjustments.

Lee's appeals have also sparked discussion within Taiwan. Some legislators have called on the government to strengthen diplomatic protection for Taiwanese arrested in China and to proactively raise related issues on the international stage to prevent similar cases from recurring. On the other hand, some scholars have pointed out that an excessive focus on individual cases may overlook broader structural issues, suggesting that the protection of human rights be incorporated into a more systematic assessment framework in future cross-strait policies and foreign relations. Regardless, Lee's actions have elevated his personal experience into an asset for transnational dialogue, providing the international community with a new perspective to examine and respond to China's transnational repression.