More than 10,000 Taiwanese people participated in religious activities in China in 2024 with support from the government in Beijing, a study showed, which Taipei views as part of a campaign by China to win hearts and minds on the island.
China, which views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory, has long taken a carrot-and-stick approach to the island, subjecting it to almost daily military drills while reaching out to those it believes are receptive to Beijing's point of view. Taiwan's government says the Republic of China is a sovereign state and Beijing has no right to speak for or represent it.
About 10,496 Taiwanese last year joined more than 110 religious trips to China, supported or organized by government units across China, according to the study by IORG, a Taiwan-based non-governmental organization.
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