Soong's CNN interview suspicious

A few years ago, when I was in northeast China to attend an academic symposium, a Chinese scholar told me that China had two research institutes on international issues. One is the "China Institute of International Studies" (國際問題研究所), under the foreign ministry and the other is the "China Institute of Contemporary International Relations" (現代國際關係研究所), a peripheral institution under the Ministry of State Security

(國家安全部).

The scholar also revealed that the one with "contemporary" in its name had a relatively poor professional level because it was not just engaged in academic research: it also had national security responsibilities.

It is common knowledge that the Ministry of State Security is China's highest intelligence agency, administering "united front work" and "intelligence gathering" missions. Therefore, researchers from the Institute of Contemporary International Relations seldom appear at international academic symposiums. Even if they do attend, their professional level is seldom recognized by academics around the world, who know the institute's background only too well.

In this light, we can find quite a few strange things about James Soong's (宋楚瑜) appearance on CNN last Sunday in a live interview and dialogue with Yen Xuetong (閻學通), Director of the Overseas Policy Center at that institute.

One, why was Soong appearing on CNN with someone from China who is not his equal? Two, given Soong's expertise in media maneuvers and manipulation, he simply could not have overlooked who he would be talking to. Three, given his ample experience in office, he could not have been ignorant of the institute's relationship with China's Ministry of State Security. Four, how could Yen have possibly appeared on CNN with Soong if his appearance had not been approved by that same ministry?

Any expert will know at first sight that Soong was trying to export himself to CNN for processing and re-import back into Taiwan.

However, the above list of strange things make us suspect that this was a pre-arranged, rehearsed, mutually acceptable "dialogue show" that both Soong and the Chinese authorities are happy with. The question now is: what is the nature of Soong's relationship with China's Ministry of State Security?

We are waiting for him to come clean.

Rick Chu is associate editor in chief of the Taipei Times.