Mainland spokesman says trial of Taiwanese man used to create 'political hype'

BEIJING -- A spokesperson of the Chinese mainland said any attempt to use the trial and sentencing of Taiwanese Lee Ming-che for "political hype" would fail.

Ma Xiaoguang, spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, stressed Wednesday that the conviction and sentence of Lee was based on clear facts and sufficient evidence.

"It was the groundless attacks on the mainland by some people in Taiwan that have seriously harmed cross-Straits relations," Ma said at a press conference, commenting on criticisms from Taiwan that Lee's sentencing had "harmed cross-Strait ties".

Ma noted that "mutual respect to each other's development path and social system was the bottom-line for cross-Straits relations."

"We respect the current system and lifestyle of Taiwan compatriots, but that does not mean the Taiwan side can impose its own political ideas on the mainland," he said.

"It does not mean that some people from Taiwan can arbitrarily violate the law of the mainland under the pretext of 'democracy and freedom,' either," he said.

Lee was sentenced to five years in prison for "subverting state power," by the Intermediate People's Court of Yueyang City in Hunan province Tuesday.

Mainland resident Peng Yuhua was sentenced to seven years in prison on the same charge.

The two men were both deprived of their political rights for two years. They said they would not appeal.

Ma said due process had been observed and the two people's rights and interests had been fully protected during the investigation and trial proceedings.

He said Lee's family, accompanied by some people from the island, had traveled to the mainland and had been present at the court ruling in Yueyang.