Recently, multiple Taiwanese netizens posted their stories online describing unsettling and disturbing experiences involving organ harvesting during their time in mainland China. The reports have since circulated widely and prompted online discussion.
Alarming stories
On May 13, political commentator Li Dayu stated on his program that he had seen numerous posts on the social media platform Threads recounting terrifying incidents Taiwanese netizens had encountered while in mainland China.
Among these was the firsthand account of a young woman who had previously worked in mainland China, describing what appeared to be an attempted organ harvesting operation.
The reports further suggested that a hospital in mainland China incentivizes doctors to identify potential organ donors among patients within the facility by offering credits toward career advancement in return.
Mandatory health tests
A Taiwanese netizen using the handle “yuh2012” reported that she traveled to Shanghai in May 2016 for work. Before she left Taiwan, she was required to undergo a comprehensive medical examination in Taiwan and submit the report to the Chinese authorities. Upon her arrival in Shanghai, she was again required to complete a medical examination as part of a mandatory health check for foreign nationals.
Within the span of one month, she underwent two full-body examinations. The most critical component of both was HIV screening, which she did not think much of at the time. However, in hindsight, she later realized that these examinations felt far more intrusive than routine immigration procedures.
After completing one year of employment, her company arranged a routine employee health check as part of her standard healthcare benefits. The results reportedly left her deeply shaken. A doctor informed her that she had an irregular heartbeat and cardiac abnormalities, and he strongly advised her to remain in Shanghai for medical treatment.
Unusual demands
Concurrently, the relevant authorities within the Chinese government reportedly contacted her, claiming there were discrepancies in her tax filings and demanding that she report to their office. Suspecting it was a scam, she initially ignored the summons.
Later, she received a text message warning that if she failed to report as instructed, she would be permanently barred from leaving the country.
Left with no other choice, she went to the Shanghai State Taxation Bureau, where an audit reportedly found that she owed no outstanding taxes.
After leaving the taxation office, she visited a Huaxia Bank branch to handle some personal banking matters. According to her account, the bank manager appeared to be expecting her and immediately presented a form, demanding that she fill in her personal details, as well as information about her family members. She was allegedly told she would not be permitted to leave until the form was completed.
When she asked for an explanation, the manager reportedly refused to provide one, simply repeating that she could not leave until she complied.
Under surveillance
It was at that moment that she realized she was being surveilled, though she had no idea who was monitoring her. She later decided to resign and return to Taiwan. However, the company reportedly delayed arranging her flight, citing the National Day holiday period and claiming that no tickets were available while requiring her to immediately vacate her dormitory.
Without informing anyone, she quietly booked a ticket through another platform. It was only once she was safely aboard the plane that she finally felt she had truly left the situation behind.
Upon returning to Taiwan, she underwent a comprehensive medical examination conducted by several leading cardiologists. The results reportedly showed that her heart was perfectly normal and that she had never suffered from any form of arrhythmia, contradicting the diagnosis issued by the Shanghai hospital.
Subsequently, while working in Vietnam, she received yet another message, sent via WeChat by the Chinese communist government, demanding that she return to China to “cooperate with an investigation,” a request that left her deeply perplexed.
Some time later, she was contacted by a translation agency, which invited her to participate in a translation competition with all expenses covered. She decisively declined the offer.
A new understanding
This Taiwanese netizen stated that she had previously been a staunch supporter of the “Deep Blue” camp (the Kuomintang, KMT). At the time, she viewed cross-strait relations in relatively conventional terms and did not question the settings or institutions she encountered while working abroad.
Following these experiences, she says her outlook has shifted significantly. She describes becoming more cautious and re-evaluating events she once regarded as routine or isolated incidents in a broader context.
In her account, what she went through ultimately prompted a deeper reassessment of her earlier political beliefs and assumptions, leading her to adopt a more critical perspective on both the Communist Party and certain political figures within Taiwan.
Translated by Patty Zhang
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