Fucha, the chief editor of a major Taiwan publishing company, was detained because of some of his views criticizing the Chinese government, Ian Johnson, the Stephen A. Schwarzman Senior Fellow for China Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, said.
Since Fucha is a Chinese citizen, Johnson is doubtful the government will release him despite foreign government requests.
"Fucha has published two of my books: 'Wild Grass' and 'The Souls of China'," Johnson said. " I don't know if he was concerned about his safety. He was vulnerable because he was a Chinese citizen who used his presence in Taiwan to publish sensitive books about China—books that couldn't be published in China. I think for a while this didn't matter because those books didn't make their way back into China, so perhaps the government didn't care too much."
Johnson detected a change in the government's reaction in recent years, however.
"The government has tried to close down all criticisms, whether they influence public opinion in China or not," Johnson said. "And so I think he got onto a blacklist, and when he returned, he was nabbed. Taiwan and other foreign governments will protest, but he is a Chinese citizen and so China is unlikely to be swayed."
Editor-in-chief of Gūsa, he was arrested while visiting Shanghai, Focus Taiwan reported. Exiled Chinese writer Bei Ling reported in the news writing that Fucha was arrested while trying to sort out residency issues but did not report the explanation behind the arrest. According to the article, Mainland Affairs Council Deputy Minister Jan Jyh-horng later confirmed that Fucha is "safe." The arrest has not been confirmed by the publishing company, Gūsa, Focus Taiwan said.
According to the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) website, Johnson is an expert in Chinese politics, society and religion as well as the author of "The Souls of China: The Return of Religion After Mao"; "Wild Grass: Three Stories of Change in Modern China"; and "A Mosque in Munich: Nazis, the CIA, and the Rise of the Muslim Brotherhood in the West". Johnson said Fucha's publishing company published two of his books.
According to The Guardian, the alleged arrest has sparked concerns in Taiwan, which has witnessed more crackdowns on criticism from the Communist Party of China (CCP) in recent years. The Guardian said Gūsa publishing company is known to publish books that reveal human rights abuses and criticisms of the Chinese government. According to Gūsa, Fucha was visiting China to renounce his Chinese citizenship, although reports indicate he is being treated as a Chinese citizen while being detained.
The incident is similar to the disappearance of five book publishers from Hong Kong in 2015, The Guardian said. Five booksellers from Hong Kong’s Causeway Bay Books went missing and reappeared in Chinese detention after publishing titles that were banned in China. Gui Minhai remains detained while another, Lam Wing-kee, fled to Taiwan, the article said.
Since news of the suspected arrest broke, American and Asian activists have called for Fucha's release. A statement was released by publishing and 40 writers, according to The Guardian.
The statement read: “In Taiwan, freedom of speech and publication, and academic freedom are like the air we breathe. They are part of daily life for every reader, every author, every translator and every editor. Under Fucha’s leadership as editor-in-chief, Gūsa's books have been very popular with Chinese-language readers around the world for their diversity and the inspiration they provide. We believe Fu' Cha has not committed any crime in utilising these freedoms.”
