Seven “independence diehard” Taiwanese officials and lawmakers have been sanctioned by China on Tuesday. The designated individuals would be banned from visiting mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau, furthermore, firms and investors related to them will also not be allowed to profit in China.

The Chinese had warned earlier this month that US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s trip to Taiwan would send pro-independence Taiwanese officials the wrong message. As Taiwan and the US both ignored Chinese warnings, China found it necessary to act as it continues to consider Taiwan to be an integral part of China. 

According to China's Taiwan Affairs Office among those sanctioned were Taiwan's de facto ambassador to the US, Hsiao Bi-khim, Secretary-General of Taiwan's National Security Council, Wellington Koo, as well as Taiwanese politicians.

State news agency Xinhua cited China's Taiwan Affairs Office spokesperson saying that "for some time, a few diehard separatist elements, out of their own interests, have gone to lengths to collude with external forces in provocations advocating Taiwan independence," adding that "they have deliberately instigated confrontations across the Taiwan Strait, and recklessly undermined peace and stability in the region."

In response to the sanctions, Taipei said that the island is a democracy that "could not be interfered with by China" and continued that "Even more, we cannot accept threats and menace from authoritarian and totalitarian systems." 

The seven are in addition to Su Tseng-chang, Joseph Wu and You Si-kun who were previously sanctioned by mainland China.

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