Taiwan's presidential office spokesperson Karen Kuo said the self‑ruled island "will not be silenced because of oppression" after China expelled New York Times journalist Vivian Wang.
The expulsion is tied to the newspaper's December interview with President Lai Ching‑te and to Wang's coverage of censorship, Beijing's handling of the COVID‑19 pandemic, and the expansion of state surveillance.
Taiwan warned the action could damage China's international image and underscored concerns about regional stability, pledging to continue communicating its position to the international community.
The episode occurs amid heightened cross‑strait tensions; earlier in 2026 China blocked President Lai's planned visit to Eswatini, one of Taiwan's remaining diplomatic allies, by persuading several Indian Ocean nations to deny airspace access.
China’s Foreign Ministry did not comment on the matter.
The Foreign Correspondents’ Club of China recently criticized a worsening trend of restrictions on press freedom affecting foreign media organisations.
Beijing continues to regard Taiwan as part of its territory and has repeatedly labeled President Lai a separatist.
