Taipei, Sept. 11 (CNA) President Tsai Ing-wen is concerned about Taiwanese human rights advocate Lee Ming-che, and has instructed government agencies to help free Lee by all means, Presidential Office spokesman Alex Huang said Monday.
Lee, who is being held in China on charges of subversion of state power, pleaded guilty to the charges during a brief court appearance in China's Hunan province earlier Monday.
The presiding judge said Lee's penalty will be announced on a date in the future.
The Taiwanese human rights advocate went missing after entering China via Macao on March 19, and he was later confirmed to have been detained by Chinese authorities.
The Chinese government said in May that he had been arrested on charges of "subversion of state power."
At a hearing held by the Yueyang City Intermediate People's Court Monday, Lee admitted to intentionally disseminating information and articles attacking the Chinese Communist system and the Chinese government, as accused by the Chinese authorities.
After the hearing, Huang said the government is highly concerned about Lee's present situation, including his health and his human rights, and all government agencies have made an all-out effort to help his family secure his release.
Noting that the government's stance has been clear and consistent, Huang said that because Lee is an ROC citizen, the government will ensure his personal safety under the precondition that national dignity is maintained -- without explaining how this will happen --and will exhaust all means to help him return home safely.
