Taiwan urges citizens to avoid travel to China, Hong Kong and Macao following Beijing threats

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Taiwan has urged its citizens to avoid travel to China and the semi-autonomous Chinese territories of Hong Kong and Macao following threats from Beijing to execute supporters of the self-governing island democracy’s independence. Spokesperson and deputy head of the Mainland Affairs Council Liang Wen-chieh issued the advisory at a news conference Thursday. That came amid growing threats from China, which claims Taiwan as its own territory to be annexed by force if necessary. China’s threat to hunt down and execute “hardcore” Taiwan independence supporters follows the election of Lai Ching-te of the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party as president.