China Targets Taiwanese Lawmaker Puma Shen With New Family Sanctions
Beijing imposes new sanctions on a company owned by the father of lawmaker Puma Shen amid allegations of transnational repression.
In a continuing campaign against one of its most outspoken critics, China has announced fresh punitive measures targeting a company owned by the father of Taiwanese lawmaker Puma Shen. The move marks the latest escalation in Beijing's efforts to pressure the politician, who is a staunch advocate for Taiwanese sovereignty and political autonomy.
Beijing's Economic Crackdown
Chen Binhua, the spokesperson for China’s Taiwan Affairs Office, revealed on October 14 that sanctions have been imposed on VWAY, a firm owned by Shen Tu-cheng, the father of the lawmaker. Under these new restrictions, VWAY is strictly prohibited from engaging in any transactions or collaborating with any individuals, businesses, or organisations based in China.
This is not the first time the family's business interests have been targeted. In June 2025, Beijing implemented similar restrictive measures against another company led by Shen's father, Sicuens International Co. Ltd.
Puma Shen's Defiant Response
Puma Shen, who is currently campaigning for the mayoralty of Taipei in next month's local elections, reacted to the news with irony. Having already been sanctioned and placed on a CCP wanted list, Shen questioned what further pressures Beijing could possibly apply.
"The things they could have done, it feels like they’ve already done quite a lot," Shen told reporters, adding that he was curious to see "what new dish they can serve up today."
Denying Allegations of Secret Trade
The sanctions follow a report by the pro-Beijing Hong Kong newspaper Wen Wei Po, which claimed that the lawmaker's father had been secretly profiting from business deals with Chinese firms despite existing sanctions. Shen has categorically rejected these claims as false and recycled.
He clarified that his family's business dealings were conducted with Ecuador, asserting that the reports deliberately misrepresented these international trades as dealings within China to smear his family.
Allegations of Transnational Repression
Beyond economic sanctions, the situation has taken a darker turn with allegations of illegal surveillance. On October 7, Puma Shen reported to the Taipei police that his home was being monitored. This triggered an investigation by the Taipei District Prosecutors Office, which has uncovered a disturbing plot of "transnational repression."
According to prosecutors, the investigation revealed the following:
- Four Taiwanese private investigators were allegedly hired in 2024 to conduct 24/7 surveillance on Puma Shen, his wife, and their daughter.
- The operation was allegedly orchestrated by two Hong Kong residents, identified as Kuk Kok Yin and Lam Hing.
- The investigators reportedly received approximately HK$99,950 (roughly USD 12,700) for the assignment.
The Taipei District Prosecutors Office has since charged the four investigators with violating Taiwan’s Personal Data Protection Act and has issued arrest warrants for the two Hong Kong residents.
Prosecutors noted that this case is part of a wider, systemic pattern where individuals in Taiwan who express views critical of the Chinese Communist Party are subjected to economic pressure, physical attacks, and invasive surveillance of their personal lives to silence dissenting voices.