By Wu Qiaoxi | 2025-11-20

Chinese authorities have issued "separatism" wanted notices for Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislator Puma (Pao-yang) Shen and YouTubers Pa Chiung and "Mannam PYC," branding them "Taiwan independence' diehards."

Shen, 43, is a legal scholar, an at-large DPP legislator and a key figure in Taiwan's disinformation defense efforts. He was sanctioned by China in 2024, the year he entered parliament.

A former associate professor with a doctorate in law from the University of California, Irvine, Shen co-founded Kuma Academy, a civil defense group focused on national security awareness.

Beijing regards Taiwan as part of its territory and has not ruled out using force to bring the island under its control, while Taiwan rejects China's sovereignty claims and says Beijing has no jurisdiction over the self-ruled democracy.

In early November, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV accused Puma Shen of promoting separatism and anti-China sentiment through Kuma Academy, calling it a "Taiwan independence base" and "violent training camp" supported by the DPP and foreign forces.

Renmin University law professor Cheng Lei suggested Interpol could arrest him globally, ending with the warning: "Stop now, or you'll be next."

Interpol later told Taiwan's Central News Agency (CNA) that all red notice applications are subject to strict review and cannot be used for politically motivated purposes.

China's actions sparked strong backlash in Taiwan. The Presidential Office condemned the global manhunt as a "typical act of transnational repression," while Taiwanese Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung called the warrants "red terror."

Despite the pressure, Shen testified in Berlin at a Bundestag hearing on disinformation, declaring, "As a brave Taiwanese, I will never draw back in fear."

Influence operations

China's campaign also expanded to include two Taiwanese YouTubers. On November 13, the Quanzhou Public Security Bureau in Fujian issued a bounty notice accusing Pa Chiung and "Mannam PYC" of "inciting separatism," smearing China's pro-Taiwan policies and "persecuting mainland spouses living in Taiwan."

The notice offered rewards of 50,000 to 250,000 CNY ($7,000 to $35,000) for information leading to their capture.

Pa Chiung, whose real name is Wen Tzu-yu, and "Mannam PYC," whose real name is Chen Po-yuan, gained prominence in 2024 with a two-part investigative video that detailed free trips, cash payments and other inducements allegedly offered to Taiwanese online personalities to promote pro-China messages. The series drew millions of views and fueled public concern over Beijing's influence operations.

Mainland Affairs Council Deputy Minister Liang Wen-chieh dismissed the reward notice targeting YouTubers as "merely for show," with no legal effect on Taiwan.

China has used similar tactics before. In June 2025, the Guangzhou Public Security Bureau released the personal data of 20 members of Taiwan's Information, Communications and Electronic Force Command (ICEFCOM), accusing them of cyberattacks and offering rewards for their capture.

Taiwan's Defense Minister Wellington Koo dismissed the list as a patchwork of old online data while promising protective measures for any personnel involved.

Dennis Lu-Chung Weng, an associate professor of political science, told the BBC that Beijing's strategy has evolved.

The military aircraft patrols of the past have lost effectiveness, prompting a shift to "long-arm jurisdiction," he said, adding that this tactic introduces personal-level risk for Taiwanese citizens to impact their speech and behavior.