Taiwan accuses China of trying to influence elections through sanctions on Taipei mayoral candidate's family firm

Taiwan has accused China of trying to influence its democratic elections by sanctioning VWAY Co., owned by Shen Tu-cheng, father of DPP legislator Puma Shen, contesting Taipei’s mayoral election (ANI via Taipei Times; Focus Taiwan; Radio Taiwan International).

China’s Taiwan Affairs Office announced the measures on 14 October, barring VWAY from business or cooperation with Chinese organisations, companies and individuals, after pro-Beijing Hong Kong papers Ta Kung Pao and Wen Wei Po reported it kept trading with Chinese firms despite earlier sanctions — about US$700,000 over 10 months through March.

Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council called it “clearly a malicious attempt to coerce Taiwanese society and interfere in our democratic elections”, saying Beijing was using targeted media narratives and economic pressure during the campaign — the same pattern as last year’s sanctions on Sicuens International, another Shen family firm sanctioned in June 2025 (Focus Taiwan).

TAO spokesman Chen Binhua said VWAY was used to keep trading with Chinese firms despite the earlier ban; Beijing designated Shen a “diehard Taiwan independence separatist” in October 2024.

Shen rejected the claims as old allegations repeated since 2024, saying his family’s dealings were with Ecuador, misrepresented as business in China. His campaign team said the move would not win the trust of Taipei voters; the DPP caucus said voters would see through the tactics (ANI via Taipei Times).

The row comes ahead of Taiwan’s nine-in-one elections on 28 November, where Shen — the DPP’s Taipei mayoral candidate — faces KMT incumbent Chiang Wan-an (Taiwan Wire).