Missing Taiwanese man confirmed in Chinese custody after 10 months: Report

Taipei [Taiwan], January 12 : The Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) has confirmed that a Taiwanese man from Changhua County, who had been missing for 10 months, is detained by Chinese public security authorities, as reported by Taipei Times.
According to the Taipei Times, the 19-year-old, identified as Huang, was reported missing in March 2024. According to SEF Secretary-General Luo Wen-jia, it has been verified through official channels that Huang is in Chinese custody, though details about the reasons for his detention remain confidential due to the personal nature of the case.
Luo stated that the SEF had reached out to Huang's family and obtained a general understanding of the situation. However, the reasons for his detention have not been disclosed. The case has raised concerns about China's adherence to the Cross-Strait Joint Crime-Fighting and Judicial Mutual Assistance Agreement, which stipulates that Chinese authorities should notify Taiwan's National Police Agency when a Taiwanese citizen is detained on the mainland.
Luo emphasized that China's failure to follow this protocol had left both the government and Huang's family unaware of his whereabouts for an extended period, causing unnecessary confusion, Taipei Times reported.
Huang's family initially doubted the authenticity of a recent notification from Chinese authorities regarding his situation, suspecting it could be a scam, Taipei Times reported. It took considerable effort for them to verify the circumstances. The notice, received from a public security bureau in Datong, Shanxi Province, indicated that Huang was detained on charges of fraud filed against him on December 2.
In response, the SEF has formally contacted China's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits to seek further clarification on the case. Huang, originally from Shengang Township in Changhua, is now facing a legal process in China, but his family and the Taiwanese government continue to seek more information about his situation.