Taipei: Taiwan will never tolerate the use of violence to stifle freedom of speech, Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim said Tuesday after Taiwan-based author and journalist Akio Yaita was assaulted in Taichung on Monday by a Chinese man from Hong Kong.

According to Focus Taiwan, Yaita, known for his critical stance against the Chinese Communist Party, was attacked in what Vice President Hsiao described as a warning to Taiwan to strengthen its commitment to safeguarding freedom of speech. Hsiao emphasized that Taiwan values freedom of expression and aims to ensure that all views are shared in a safe and respectful manner, making it clear that violence will not be tolerated.

Addressing the China in the World (CITW) 2026 conference in Taipei, Hsiao highlighted the concerning timing of the assault, occurring alongside China's test-firing of a nuclear-capable ballistic missile over the Pacific Ocean and the self-immolation of exiled Tibetan Lobga Rangzen outside the United Nations headquarters in New York. These incidents, she noted, stress the significance of events such as CITW, organized by Doublethink Lab, which seeks to monitor China's global influence and propose solutions to related challenges.

Presidential Office spokesperson Karen Kuo remarked that the attack on Yaita appeared to be "characteristic" of transnational repression, marking the first such incident since China's Ethnic Unity and Progress Promotion Law was enacted on July 1. The Presidential Office issued a strong condemnation of the violent act.

Additionally, the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), through spokesperson Lin Chu-yin, described the assault on Yaita as the initial case of China's "transnational repression" in Taiwan since the law's implementation. Lin asserted that the DPP condemns all forms of violence, particularly those threatening freedom of speech and personal safety.

China's law, established by the National People's Congress in March, mandates Chinese citizens to support national unification and seeks to bolster the identification of Taiwan's people as part of the Chinese nation. It holds individuals or organizations accountable for actions undermining ethnic unity or promoting division, though it lacks clarity on what constitutes such conduct.

As of Tuesday afternoon, details about the assailant, who struck Yaita in the face, reveal that he is a 33-year-old Chinese man residing in Hong Kong. No evidence has been presented regarding his motives or any links to China's unity law.