China to prosecute Taiwan activist for secession

China says it will prosecute a Taiwanese man for alleged secession, in the latest move against Taiwan-linked individuals on mainland Chinese soil.

Yang Chih-Yuan, the founder of a Pro-independence Taiwanese political party, was detained in China last year.

In recent weeks China has also detained a book publisher and reporters working for a Taiwan broadcaster.

Taiwan has criticized China’s arbitrary arrests, saying they were severely damaging to human rights.

At the time, his detention was linked to Chinese crackdown on separatists amid tensions over former US house speaker Nancy Pelosi’s trip to Taiwan.

On Tuesday, Chinese authorities said they had completed an investigation into Yang Chih-Yuan and had put him under formal arrest.