Taiwan passes law to combat Chinese influence on politics

Taiwan's parliament passed an anti-infiltrationlawon Tuesday tocombatperceived threats from China as the island gears up for a presidential vote on January11 amid heightened tension with Beijing.

The legislation is part of a years-long effort tocombatwhat many inTaiwansee asChineseefforts toinfluencepoliticsand the democratic process, through illicit funding of politicians and the media and other methods.

The move further strains ties betweenTaiwanand Beijing, which suspectsTaiwanPresident Tsai Ing-wen of pushing for the island's formal independence and has ramped up pressure on her since she took office in 2016.

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"The rise of China has posed a threat to all countries, andTaiwanis facing the biggest threat," Chen Ou-po of the majority Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) told parliament after the bill was passed.

"Taiwanis on the frontline ofChineseinfiltration and urgently needs the anti-infiltrationlawto protect people's rights."

Lawmakers of Tsai's DPP backed the bill, which passed 67 to zero, despite opposition criticism of it as a "political tool" to gain votes before the election.

Lawmakers of the main opposition Kuomintang, which favours close ties with China, did not participate in the vote.

China's policy-makingTaiwanAffairs Office, in a statement carried by state media, said the DPP was seeking electoral gain from the move and creating enmity across theTaiwanStrait.

"We sternly warn the DPP, blood is thicker than water for the compatriots from both sides of the strait, who protect and help each other: this is something no force can change," it said.

Thelawgives legal teeth to efforts to stop China's funding activities on the island, such as lobbying or election campaigns. It carries a maximum penalty of seven years in jail and will take effect after Tsai signs it intolawin January.

China claimsTaiwanas its territory, to be brought under Beijing's control by force if necessary.Taiwansays it is an independent country called the Republic of China, its official name.

The Kuomintang has said it supports efforts to protectTaiwanfrom infiltration but accused the DPP of rushing through the legislation for electoral gain, calling it a threat toTaiwan's democracy.

Several Kuomintanglawmakers staged a sit-in protest in front of the speaker's podium during the parliamentary session, holding signs that read "Objecting to badlaw" and "Damaging human rights" while wearing black masks that read "Objection".

A handful of supporters from pro-China political parties protested outside parliament, callinglawmakers to withdraw what they see as legislation that "ruins" cross-Strait exchanges.

China said last week the DPP was trying to "blatantly reverse over" democracy with the bill. In response, Tsai said it was hypocritical of an autocratic China that lacks democracy, human rights or freedom of speech to use the language of democracy to criticise the proposal.