Chuang Shen-yuan (莊深淵), the judge presiding over the Kuang San financial scandal (廣三案) case, searched former Legislative Yuan Speaker Liu Sung-fan's (劉松藩) residence a few weeks ago, triggering controversies over judicial independence. Yang Jen-shou (楊仁壽), secretary-general of the Judicial Yuan (司法院), said a legitimate search should have taken the timing of the search into consideration. Some judges criticized Chuang for being insufficiently sensitive to political issues.
What matters most about a judge is morality. Chuang is highly regarded for his moral character. Even Lin Chih-chung (林志忠), an attorney of Kuang San Group Chairman Tseng Cheng-jen (曾正仁), said Chuang "has no political character." From this viewpoint, we can exclude the assumption that Chuang is a brown-noser who carries out political persecution for the KMT. The uproar over the incident was basically the result of a "lack of political sensitivity." Chuang failed to notice the timing problem, resulting in the inappropriate linkage between the judicature and politics.
Is a "lack of political sensitivity" a defect? Should a judge be alert to political timing while investigating a case?
Taiwan's judicature lacks public credibility mainly because judges are too politically sensitive and are too aware of timing. Their political sense is so good that they dare not punish corrupted government officials. They are so concerned about timing that there is judicial leniency during election period. Therefore, "get elected or go to jail (當選過關落選被關)" has become a common dictum and we have dozens of legislators standing trial, their punishment having been delayed for as much as 10 years. And that is also why gangsters are able to bid for official positions and take control of politics.
People in the Taiwan hate "black gold politics." They criticized the judiciary for not being independent, but they also blamed Chuang for his poor political sense. Aren't they contradicting themselves?
That Taiwan's judicature is not independent is well-known, but it is not Chuang's fault. He was just made the scapegoat. Because his fellow colleagues are too aware of how to ride the tide of their times, Chuang, who insists on judicial independence, has been branded as a political hitman. Because his colleagues fail to take a firm stand on justice, Chuang's insistence becomes selective justice.
If those who know how to ride the tide of his times are encouraged and the person who has poor political sense is thrown into the pit, then judicial independence will always be a slogan.
Chuang Pei-chang is chief editorial writer of the China Times Express.
Taiwan aims to elevate its strategic position in supply chains by becoming an artificial intelligence (AI) hub for Nvidia Corp, providing everything from advanced chips and components to servers, in an attempt to edge out its closest rival in the region, South Korea. Taiwan’s importance in the AI ecosystem was clearly reflected in three major announcements Nvidia made during this year’s Computex trade show in Taipei. First, the US company’s number of partners in Taiwan would surge to 122 this year, from 34 last year, according to a slide shown during CEO Jensen Huang’s (黃仁勳) keynote speech on Monday last week.
When China passed its “Anti-Secession” Law in 2005, much of the democratic world saw it as yet another sign of Beijing’s authoritarianism, its contempt for international law and its aggressive posture toward Taiwan. Rightly so — on the surface. However, this move, often dismissed as a uniquely Chinese form of legal intimidation, echoes a legal and historical precedent rooted not in authoritarian tradition, but in US constitutional history. The Chinese “Anti-Secession” Law, a domestic statute threatening the use of force should Taiwan formally declare independence, is widely interpreted as an emblem of the Chinese Communist Party’s disregard for international norms. Critics
Birth, aging, illness and death are inevitable parts of the human experience. Yet, living well does not necessarily mean dying well. For those who have a chronic illness or cancer, or are bedridden due to significant injuries or disabilities, the remainder of life can be a torment for themselves and a hardship for their caregivers. Even if they wish to end their life with dignity, they are not allowed to do so. Bih Liu-ing (畢柳鶯), former superintendent of Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, introduced the practice of Voluntary Stopping of Eating and Drinking as an alternative to assisted dying, which remains
President William Lai (賴清德) has rightly identified the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) as a hostile force; and yet, Taiwan’s response to domestic figures amplifying CCP propaganda remains largely insufficient. The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) recently confirmed that more than 20 Taiwanese entertainers, including high-profile figures such as Ouyang Nana (歐陽娜娜), are under investigation for reposting comments and images supporting People’s Liberation Army (PLA) drills and parroting Beijing’s unification messaging. If found in contravention of the law, they may be fined between NT$100,000 and NT$500,000. That is not a deterrent. It is a symbolic tax on betrayal — perhaps even a way for