China on Wednesday said that group of Taiwanese citizens deported from Kenya are wanted in mainland China for serious charges, claiming complete jurisdiction over the Taiwanese deportees.

The controversy over the Taiwanese deportees broke out on Monday after Taiwan accused China of illegally abducting eight Taiwanese citizens from Kenya. Taiwan claimed that Kenyan police used tear gas and rifles to force Taiwanese citizens into a China-bound aircraft.

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In total, 45 Taiwanese citizens have reportedly been deported to China. Eight were deported on Friday, while rest of the 37 Taiwanese citizens were deported on Tuesday.  

These 45 Taiwanese, along with several other Chinese citizens, were being tried in Kenya over cyber related crimes since 2014. However, several Taiwan citizens were acquitted by a Kenyan High Court earlier this week.

According to Xinhua, China's Ministry of Public Security said that these Taiwanese deportees swindled millions of Yuan from Chinese citizens while pretending to be "law-enforcement officers."

The ministry further revealed that Chinese authorities will launch full investigation against them, adding that officials from Taiwan are welcome to join the investigation.

Meanwhile, Taiwan is planning to file a lawsuit against the Kenyan government for forcefully detaining its citizens and not acting as per court directives which acquitted several of its citizens.

This is the first major diplomatic controversy that has broken between China and Taiwan ever since the landslide victory of pro-independent leader Tsai Ing-wen in the island's Presidential election earlier this year.

Tsai will take office in May. Experts claim that this latest controversy will be the first litmus test for Tsai's government amid Beijing's warning that Taiwan should not stoke any secessionist movement.

Tagschina, Taiwan, Kenya