Trade restrictions placed on a company owned by the father of Democratic Progressive Party legislator Puma Shen have prompted officials in Taiwan to contend that Beijing is applying commercial pressure as a means of influencing the island's upcoming elections, according to the Taipei Times.
Sanctions targeting VWAY Co — a business held by Shen Tu-cheng, father of Shen — were put in place by the Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) out of Beijing. Two publications based in Hong Kong — Ta Kung Pao and Wen Wei Po — had published accounts alleging that the firm maintained commercial activity in China even though a separate entity under the same ownership had already faced sanctions, a disclosure that preceded the decision.
Trade figures attributed to VWAY by press outlets showed approximately USD 700,000 in activity logged across a ten-month window ending in March. Ownership of both outlets traces back to the Hong Kong Liaison Office, as the Taipei Times reported.
The MAC — Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council — characterised the measures as tools Beijing deployed to apply political pressure on the island and sway voters ahead of elections. The body's statement described a pattern in which press coverage in Hong Kong newspapers naming particular individuals or companies preceded formal punitive action by mainland authorities.
According to the MAC's statement, voter sentiment and the decisions of those running for office stood to be shaped by actions of that nature. The statement added that safeguarding residents and businesses, along with upholding its elected form of governance, remained a stated priority.
Sanctions against Sicuens International — a firm under the ownership of Shen Tu-cheng — had already been put in place by Beijing as of June the previous year, according to Chen Binhua, a spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office. Chen put forward the claim that the businessman kept up commercial dealings with Chinese firms by way of VWAY. A prohibition on VWAY operating within the country or entering into arrangements with domestic organisations has been put in place by Chinese authorities.
Puma Shen, a candidate in the Taipei mayoral race, pushed back against the claims levelled at him. He noted that the claims in question had already been in circulation dating back to 2024. Ties to Ecuador ran through the family's commercial dealings, he noted, while also pushing back against the characterisation of how the business operated in China.
Shen further noted that measures taken against him by Chinese authorities included both sanctions and placement on a wanted list. He alleged that individuals living in Hong Kong had been recruited and paid by Chinese authorities to monitor his whereabouts.
Aides working on the campaign indicated that those moves were unlikely to earn the confidence of voters in Taipei. The DPP's legislative wing levelled allegations that Beijing was working to influence the outcome of Taiwan's upcoming vote, with members expressing confidence that the electorate would recognise and reject such manoeuvres.
