China announced on Friday it would hold all those supporting “Taiwan independence,” criminally responsible for the rest of their lives. The announcement provoked ridicule and anger from China, which was speaking at a moment when there is increased tension in the delicate Taiwan Strait.

China announced the punishment for Taiwan independence supporters, the top officials on Taiwan’s self-rule island, today. Tensions are rising over China’s view of Taiwan as a provincial state.

China is not afraid to use force against Taiwan, even though Taiwan claims it is an independent nation that will protect its democracy and freedoms.

Taiwan Affairs Office named Taiwan Premier Su Tseng Chang, You Si-kun as the Parliament Speaker and Joseph Wu as the Foreign Minister. It made the announcement publicly for the first-time that it had compiled a list.

China will punish those who are on the list and ban them from entering the country’s mainland or its Special Administrative Regions in Hong Kong or Macau, Zhu Fenglian spokeswoman said Friday.

She added that such blacklisted people will not be permitted to work with any entities or persons from the mainland and their funds or companies will not be allowed profit from the island.

Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council rebuked China by stating that Taiwan is a democratic country with rule-of-law and not ruled out of Beijing.

The council declared that “we do not accept threats and intimidation from any autocratic or authoritarian area”, and added that it will use the “necessary countermeasures” to ensure the safety of the population.

Zhu stated that China was sending a message to Taiwanese supporters for independence: “Those who forget about their ancestors and betray our motherland, split Taiwan, will not end up well. They will be rejected by the people, judged by history.”

Joseph Wu, Taiwan’s foreign ministry, posted on Twitter Saturday that he had received many congratulations since being sanctioned and blacklisted by the #CCP, referring to China’s Communist Party.

Many are jealous that they have not been recognized. Some ask how to apply. For this honor I must continue to fight for the freedom and democracy of #Taiwan.

China thinks Taiwan’s President TsaiIng-wen, a separatist who wants to declare formal independence, is lying. According to her, Taiwan has been declared an independent nation under the Republic of China’s formal title.