As many as 458 Taiwanese nationals are currently missing, detained, or otherwise restricted in their freedom of movement in China, according to Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council (MAC). Among those affected are followers of I-Kuan Tao (Yiguandao), one of Taiwan's most widespread redemptive religious traditions, which Chinese authorities have long regarded with deep suspicion.

Key Figures from the MAC

According to the MAC, 175 Taiwanese nationals are currently listed as missing, 41 have been detained for interrogation, and 242 remain held by Chinese authorities. The data, cited in a report by Bitter Winter, marks a documented and continuing pattern of cross-border enforcement targeting Taiwanese citizens on the Chinese mainland.

Religion-Driven Detentions, Officials Warn

Luo Wen-jia, Secretary-General of the Straits Exchange Foundation, said four recent cases involved Taiwanese I-Kuan Tao followers detained between April and July. Those affected were long-term residents — including teachers, businesspeople, and retirees — living in Fujian, Guangdong, and Shenzhen. According to the report, the common thread linking the targeted individuals was not any alleged involvement in an illegal organisation, but simply their religious identity.

Luo noted that the detentions appear to mark a shift from earlier incidents, where Taiwanese believers on short visits to China were detained. The newer pattern, he said, targets long-term residents, suggesting a more deliberate, religion-driven enforcement approach. He urged I-Kuan Tao followers to return to Taiwan and called for issuing a 'red alert' travel advisory for movement members.

A Cross-Border Extension of Domestic Religious Policy

The report characterised the detentions as reflecting something more systemic than isolated cases. 'The detentions of Taiwanese nationals thus represent more than isolated incidents. They reveal a cross-border extension of China's domestic religious policy. A Taiwanese passport offers no immunity when the CCP decides that a believer's faith constitutes ideological deviance,' the report stated.

Analysts note that I-Kuan Tao has historically been banned in mainland China, where the government classifies it as an 'evil cult.' This framing has been used to justify prosecutions, reportedly including charges under Article 300 of China's criminal code. This is not the first time religious identity has been cited as grounds for restricting Taiwanese nationals in China, but the scale and demographic breadth of those now affected — cutting across professions and residence durations — is notable.

Wider Implications for Cross-Strait Travel

The MAC's rising numbers and the Straits Exchange Foundation's warnings together point to a tightening environment in which religious identity itself becomes grounds for suspicion, according to the report. The development adds a new dimension to already strained cross-strait relations, raising questions about the safety of Taiwanese nationals with any religious affiliation that Beijing views as ideologically incongruent. The calls for a formal red-alert advisory are expected to intensify pressure on Taipei to issue clearer guidance for at-risk communities.