Taiwan's investigation bureau has confirmed that a Chinese agent followed a visiting German journalist last year, a case ruling-party lawmakers call a warning sign for anyone in Taiwan, not just Taiwanese.

• A veteran German journalist and author was tailed by a Chinese woman working as a spy while in Taiwan last year.
• Ruling-party DPP lawmakers call it infiltration meant to scare critics into silence and show Beijing can reach anywhere.
• The point, they say, is that the target was not a Taiwan independence advocate — China now goes after anyone it sees as a threat, of any nationality.
• Lawmakers want Taiwan to work with other democracies and write legal protections covering everyone on the island, including foreigners, Hong Kongers, and Chinese nationals.
• Taiwan is caught between staying an open democracy and closing gaps that let foreign agents operate freely.

Outlook: The investigation is ongoing, and expect pressure in Taiwan's legislature for new laws against cross-border intimidation.