TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A special committee has been established to probe the nature of Kaohsiung mayor Han Kuo-yu’s (韓國瑜) recent visit to China.

Han’s sojourn to China last week caused uproar in Taiwan. Minister of the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Chen Ming-tong (陳明通) said during a legislative session that Han’s actions have been the source of great controversy in Taiwan, Hong Kong and the international community, according to Liberty Times.

The minister said Han’s behavior has jeopardized Taiwan’s status, particularly as Beijing pushes the “One Country, Two Systems” arrangement with increasing impetus.

The Kaohsiung mayor aroused suspicion by visiting the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in Hong Kong and Macau—responsible for managing “One Country, Two Systems” arrangements in both autonomous regions. Chen said Han absolutely should not have entered the Liaison Office.

Han has been instructed to clarify the nature of any deals he made during his trip in order to ascertain whether he ought to be punished under law governing the interactions of political representatives with the Chinese Communist Party.

Taiwan’s MAC has established an ad hoc committee to probe into the visit.

Han’s visits to the Liaison Office in Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Xiamen were all purposefully coordinated by Beijing, said Chen, in order to convince him of the fruits closer cooperation with China could bear.

As a purported disciple of Sun Yat-sen, Han should have the courage to proclaim the Republic of China before China’s Taiwan Affairs Director Liu Jieyi, said Chen, and request Liu to respect the sovereignty of the Republic of China.