China’s parliament, the National People’s Congress, approved the legislation on Thursday, aiming to foster a shared national identity among China’s 55 officially recognised ethnic minority groups, including Tibetans and Uyghurs.

While the law does not explicitly mention Taiwan, Beijing considers the island part of its territory and regards its people as Chinese citizens.

Shen Yu-chung, deputy minister at Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council, said language in the legislation could potentially extend to cross-strait issues.

Speaking to reporters in Taipei before the law was formally passed, Shen said provisions requiring citizens to protect China’s sovereignty and national unity could “spill over into becoming a legal basis for handling cross-Strait issues.

”When asked whether the law might be used to target individuals Beijing views as pro-independence activists, Shen said it was “highly possible,” adding that the definition of promoting unity remained vague while penalties could be more clearly defined.

China, which views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory, has already introduced measures aimed at supporters of Taiwanese independence.In 2024, Chinese authorities issued guidelines to punish what they called “diehard” independence activists, with penalties that could include the death sentence, despite Chinese courts having no jurisdiction on the island.

The new legislation also contains a brief reference encouraging people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait to identify as Chinese.

The law further cites remarks by Chinese President Xi Jinping stating that citizens must “consciously uphold national unity, national security, and social stability.”

Taiwanese officials have long criticised what they describe as Chinese “lawfare,” referring to the use of legislation to create legal grounds for targeting individuals Beijing considers separatists, including those living overseas.

The new law includes provisions stating that individuals and organisations outside the borders of the People’s Republic of China can be held legally accountable for undermining ethnic unity or inciting separatism.

Shen said such language raised concerns about potential “long-arm jurisdiction,” referring to China’s efforts to apply its legal framework beyond its borders.

China’s Taiwan Affairs Office did not respond to a request for comment.

ReutersThe dispute highlights deepening political divisions in Taiwan over military spending and defence preparedness at a time of rising security pressure from China and growing calls from the United States for the island to strengthen its defences.Speaking to reporters in Taipei, Defence Minister Wellington Koo said the opposition-backed plan would impose restrictions that would effectively halt several planned weapons programmes. The government’s proposal includes systems such as precision artillery and anti-armour unmanned platforms designed to strengthen Taiwan’s asymmetric defence strategy. Reuters“If everything is required to be delivered and fully implemented before that deadline, it would in effect shut down these projects, making their execution impossible,” Koo said.Budget dispute in parliamentThe main opposition Kuomintang (KMT), which holds parliamentary influence alongside smaller parties, has advanced a counterproposal that caps spending at about T$380 billion ($11.96 billion) roughly one-third of the funding sought by the government.

Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te had proposed a significantly larger defence package aimed at strengthening the island’s deterrence against Beijing, which claims Taiwan as its territory and has increased military pressure in recent years. Opposition lawmakers say their proposal reflects the need for stricter legislative scrutiny of defence spending. The KMT has argued that procurement through commercial channels could be vulnerable to irregularities and has called for weapons purchases to focus primarily on government-to-government agreements with Washington.Koo rejected that approach, warning that excluding certain acquisition channels would create gaps in Taiwan’s defence capabilities and undermine efforts to strengthen joint operational readiness.He added that the government’s proposal has the backing of both the U.S. administration and members of Congress.U.S. pressure and security concernsWashington, Taiwan’s most important security partner and arms supplier, has repeatedly urged Taipei to accelerate defence reforms and increase spending to counter mounting military pressure from Beijing.

Taiwan NewsThe political standoff in the legislature has raised concerns among U.S. policymakers that delays could slow Taiwan’s acquisition of key defence systems intended to improve its ability to repel a potential attack.China regularly conducts military exercises around Taiwan and has refused formal dialogue with Lai, whom Beijing labels a separatist. Lai has rejected the claim and says only Taiwan’s people can decide the island’s future. Cross-strait diplomacy adds political tensionThe budget dispute has also unfolded alongside sensitive cross-strait political developments.Senior figures in the KMT have said the party remains in contact with the Chinese Communist Party and are working toward a potential visit to China later this year. KMT leaders have expressed hope that such a trip could include a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The prospect of political engagement with Beijing has drawn scrutiny from some Taiwanese officials and analysts, who say defence policy and cross-strait relations are becoming increasingly intertwined in domestic politics.For now, negotiations over the defence spending package remain unresolved in parliament, leaving the scale and timeline of Taiwan’s planned military procurement uncertain.