Taiwan deported a Chinese exchange student at National Taiwan University on Friday after he posted a social-media video that used forced perspective to make it look as though he was pinching President Lai Ching-te between his fingers, paired with slogans asserting Beijing's claim over the island.
The National Immigration Agency said it revoked the entry permit of the student, surnamed Wang, and escorted him through airport customs the same day. Officials consulted the Ministry of Education and the Mainland Affairs Council before acting, citing conduct that violated "equality and dignity" standards for visitors from mainland China. Wang is barred from applying to enter Taiwan for five years, with future applications subject to stricter review.
What the video showed
According to CNA and Focus Taiwan, Wang filmed Lai on Oct. 12 during the closing ceremony of the "Taiwan Bridge" talent program at NTU. By aligning his hand with the camera lens, the clip created the illusion that Lai's head was between Wang's fingers. Captions included "Got the little Lai Ching-te" and hashtags promoting cross-strait unification and opposition to Taiwan independence. Wang later deleted the post on Douyin and issued an apology, but screenshots had already spread on Taiwanese platforms.
Immigration authorities relied on Article 12 of the regulations governing mainland visitors, which allows permit revocation when a traveler engages in conduct deemed to undermine dignity or disturb public order. The agency's statement stressed that Taiwan welcomes dissent within lawful bounds but expects mainland students to follow local rules while studying.
University and cross-strait reaction
NTU said Wang arrived through an international sister-school exchange, not a direct China program, and left Taiwan on Oct. 16 after cooperating with investigators on campus. The university reiterated support for free speech but said expression must respect others. The Straits Exchange Foundation, which handles practical cross-strait matters, urged Taipei and Beijing not to let a single case derail broader student exchanges.
Mainland Affairs Council officials have not announced reciprocal measures. Opposition lawmakers largely backed the deportation, while a few civil-liberties commentators questioned whether removal was proportionate for a nonviolent stunt. Government spokespeople countered that sovereignty-related harassment at a presidential appearance crossed a bright line.
Enforcement precedent
The case lands amid tighter scrutiny of mainland students after several high-profile security incidents. Immigration data show rising revocations for political stunts at public events, though each decision is case-specific. Wang's five-year ban is among the longer exclusions applied in recent cross-strait student disputes.
For NTU and other hosts, the immediate task is reassuring partner universities that routine exchanges will continue while briefing incoming students on Taiwan's red lines for political content—rules that Friday's expulsion made vividly concrete.