TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A US State Department spokesperson on Friday condemned China's new reporting mechanism for alleged “Taiwan independence” advocates.

The spokesperson told CNA that "China's call for private individuals to report on alleged 'persecution or suppression' by supposed 'Taiwan independence henchmen and accomplices' is irresponsible and reprehensible." 

The State Department official said this latest move is part of China’s broader “intimidation campaign” against Taiwan and its supporters. It also poses a threat to global freedom of speech and undermines stability in the Indo-Pacific region, said the spokesperson.

The spokesperson warned that the CCP's "threats and legal pressure only exacerbate tensions and undermine cross-strait peace and stability." The official pledged that the US "will continue to support Taiwan in the face of China's provocative and irresponsible actions.”

When asked to comment on reports that China has new barges that could support PLA landings, the spokesperson said the US provides Taiwan with necessary defense materials and services under the Taiwan Relations Act to enable Taiwan to maintain sufficient self-defense capabilities proportional to the threats it faces. The official said that the threat Taiwan faces from China has increased significantly. 

China's Taiwan Affairs Office on Wednesday launched a new section on its website for reporting “Taiwan independence” supporters and those oppressing other Taiwanese. Taiwan Affairs Office Spokesperson Chen Binhua (陳斌華) named 11 public Taiwanese figures, whom he claimed had been reported through the new portal, including three DPP legislators, three Taipei District Prosecutors' Office prosecutors, and social media influencers.