Taiwan Deports Chinese Exchange Student Over President Lai Illusion Video
An exchange student from China was deported from Taiwan on October 16 after posting a social media video that used an optical illusion to make it appear as though he was pinching Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te, according to an abc.net.au report.
National Taiwan University Student Targeted President During Speech
The student, identified publicly by his surname Wang, attended a speech delivered by President Lai Ching-te at National Taiwan University, per abc.net.au. During the event, Wang recorded the president with his smartphone from the audience and later published the footage on the Chinese social media platform Douyin.
Using forced perspective, Wang positioned his fingers in front of the camera lens to create the illusion of pinching the president’s head. The accompanying caption stated, Lai Ching-te is right here. Isn’t it your once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,
as reported by abc.net.au. Additional coverage noted that Wang also included comments declaring he was taking down little Lai Ching-te.
The post featured political hashtags including cross-strait reunification,
oppose separatist acts seeking Taiwan independence,
and reunification is inevitable,
according to abc.net.au. The online reaction prompted Wang to delete the video and issue an apology after admitting the post was inappropriate.
National Immigration Agency Revokes Entry Permit and Imposes Five-Year Ban
Following consultations with the Ministry of Education and the Mainland Affairs Council, Taiwan’s National Immigration Agency revoked Wang’s entry permit, focustaiwan.tw reported. The agency stated that Wang’s conduct violated the principle of equality and dignity,
which governs mainland Chinese visitors entering the island.
National Immigration Agency officials escorted Wang to customs on October 16, executing his deportation and issuing a five-year ban preventing him from reentering Taiwan, according to focustaiwan.tw. In an official statement, the agency emphasized that while Taiwan maintains a democratic and pluralistic society that respects differing opinions, visitors from mainland China must comply with local laws and regulations.
University and Politicians Respond to the Expulsion
National Taiwan University stated that Wang was enrolled from a partner university and that school officials provided assistance during the official inquiry, abc.net.au reported. A university spokesperson noted that while the institution values rational dialogue and differing public policy opinions, the exercise of free speech requires mutual respect.
Political reactions within Taiwan varied following the enforcement action. According to abc.net.au, Kuomintang politician Lin Pei-hsiang questioned whether deporting a student over a social media post infringed upon freedom of speech, suggesting that political satire should be distinguished from a direct threat.
Meanwhile, Straits Exchange Foundation Secretary-General Luo Wen-jia stated that he respected the decision made by the immigration agency, expressing hope that the incident would not discourage future student exchanges from mainland China, as reported by focustaiwan.tw.