Liqun, Chairman of the China Democratic Unity Alliance
, July 6, 2026
On July 6, veteran media personality Akio Yaita was tailed and attacked by a man after attending a public event in Taichung, Taiwan, resulting in facial injuries and bleeding. Taiwanese police quickly arrested the Chinese man suspected of committing the crime and are currently investigating his motive and whether he was involved in instigation, planning, or cross-border instigation.
TheChina Democratic United League expressed its strongest outrage and condemnation of this incident, extended sincere condolences to Mr. Akio Yaita, and wished him a speedy recovery.
This is by no means an ordinary violent injury case.
Mr. Akio Yaita has long paid close attention to Chinese affairs, consistently exposing the CCP’s authoritarian regime, firmly supporting Taiwan’s democracy, and upholding press freedom and the public’s right to know. If a media professional becomes a target of violence simply by publicly expressing their views, the threat is not only to their personal safety but also to Taiwan’s press freedom, freedom of speech, and democracy and rule of law.
According to media reports, the suspect rushed to the airport to prepare for departure after committing the crime. This incident drew significant attention and raised legitimate public concerns about whether the case was premeditated or whether cross-border instruction was involved. We call on Taiwan’s judicial authorities to thoroughly investigate the truth of the case according to law, comprehensively investigate the sources of funds, communication records, movement trajectories, and behind-the-scenes relationships, and determine whether there are cross-border organizations, networks, or foreign forces involved. No matter which individual or organization is involved behind the scenes, the truth must be pursued according to the law, and the truth must never stop at the direct perpetrator.
What is particularly noteworthy is that this incident occurred shortly after China recently announced and implemented the Law of the People’s Republic of China on Promoting National Unity and Progress. This law has attracted widespread attention from the international community, with many fearing it could become a legal tool for the CCP to further strengthen cross-border controls and expand its political influence. The coincidence of violence against media professionals who have long criticized the CCP at this sensitive moment is a cause for alarm and is even more necessary to thoroughly investigate whether cross-border forces intervened in the case according to the law.
In recent years, the CCP has escalated its cross-border crackdown on overseas dissidents, media figures, human rights workers, and democracy activists. From setting up overseas secret police stations to cross-border surveillance, harassment, and intimidation; From destroying statues in the American Freedom Sculpture Park to launching violent attacks and threats against overseas democrats, the free world has long been highly alert. If this case is ultimately proven to involve cross-border forces planning, organizing, or directing it, its nature will far exceed ordinary criminal cases, but it will be a blatant challenge to Taiwan’s democratic system, press freedom, and the international rule of law order.
Taiwan must never become a target for the CCP’s political violence.
Today, the victim is a media professional; tomorrow, it could be a scholar, a human rights lawyer, a public representative, or even anyone who upholds the value of freedom and dares to criticize authoritarianism. Any attempt to create a chilling effect through violence or suppress dissenting voices must be subject to the harshest legal sanctions.
The China Democratic Unity League calls on the Taiwan government to severely punish the perpetrators according to law, thoroughly uncover the truth of the case, and absolutely not allow any foreign forces to interfere in Taiwanese society with violence, undermine democratic systems, or threaten press freedom. At the same time, we call on the international community to continue paying attention to the CCP’s cross-border repression, strengthen information sharing and law enforcement cooperation among democratic countries, jointly resist political violence against media figures, dissidents, and democracy activists, and uphold the shared values of freedom, rule of law, and democracy.
The China Democratic Solidarity Alliance firmly believes: freedom cannot be trampled by violence, and democracy cannot be infiltrated by authoritarianism. No cross-border suppression can stop the people’s pursuit of freedom, nor will it escape the judgment of history and law.