The justice and interior ministries said yesterday that they would look into the PFP's role in the disclosure of details of secret accounts at the National Security Bureau (NSB).
Minister of Justice Chen Ding-nan (陳定南) said he would forward to prosecutors documents given to him by TSU lawmakers. Prosecutors will then decide if there's enough evidence to justify a search of the PFP's headquarters.
Minister of the Interior Yu Cheng-hsien (余政憲) said a meeting would be held next week to determine whether the PFP's behavior in the scandal warrants punishment.
PHOTO: GEORGE TSORNG, TAIPEI TIMES
The China Times and Next magazine reported last week that during former president Lee Teng-hui's (李登輝) time in office, the NSB had set up two secret accounts, worth NT$3.5 billion, that were beyond legislative supervision.
The revelations have sparked a war of words between TSU and PFP legislators. Both parties have come out in defense of their leaders, PFP Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜) and the TSU's guru, Lee.
The reports in the China Times and Next referred to the two secret NSB accounts as Lee's "private stash." The reports cited information believed to have been provided by the bureau's former chief cashier, Colonel Liu Kuan-chun (
Critics have said the revelations have undermined the nation's diplomatic ties as well as information-gathering efforts in China and elsewhere.
The TSU has accused Soong of masterminding the revelations in an effort to undermine Lee.
Eight TSU lawmakers met with Chen yesterday to provide what they said was "solid evidence" to prove that the PFP had disseminated information about the secret accounts. They said they believe the PFP is still in possession of a large number of confidential documents provided by Liu.
PFP lawmakers said last week they were in possession of documents related to the NSB accounts. They said they turned over all of their documents to the Control Yuan -- the country's top watchdog body -- for investigation.
TSU legislative whip Hsu Deng-koun (許登宮) said he hoped PFP lawmakers would explain how they obtained the documents. He said investigators should search the PFP's headquarters if an explanation was not forthcoming.
TSU lawmakers yesterday said they have several reasons to believe the PFP distributed documents about the NSB's accounts.
They noted that Chang Hsien-yao (張顯耀), director of the PFP's Policy Research Center, is a former official with the National Security Council -- which oversees the NSB.
They also cast suspicion on Hsieh Chung-liang (謝忠良), the reporter who wrote Next's cover story and the younger brother of PFP spokesman Hsieh Kung-ping (謝公秉). The TSU lawmakers said Hsieh has frequently visited China.
They also claim Soong contacted Liu during a recent trip to the US.
Calling the PFP a "pro-unification party," Hsu accused it of attempting to topple the government and said "the PFP and Beijing share the same purposes."
PFP Legislator Diane Lee (
Other PFP lawmakers said the TSU should provide the evidence to back up its accusations.
Meanwhile, DPP and TSU law-makers presented a petition to the Ministry of the Interior yesterday, calling for an investigation into whether the PFP violated the Constitution.
Under Article 5 of the Constitution, a party would violate the Constitution if its goals or activities endanger the existence of the country or the nation's free and democratic constitutional order.
DPP Legislator Susan Su (蘇治芬) said an investigation into the PFP's actions was warranted because it has undermined national security.
According to the law governing organizations, authorities can issue warnings, demand a group to improve within a set period of time or disband a group if it is found to have broken the law.
Taiwan is projected to lose a working-age population of about 6.67 million people in two waves of retirement in the coming years, as the nation confronts accelerating demographic decline and a shortage of younger workers to take their place, the Ministry of the Interior said. Taiwan experienced its largest baby boom between 1958 and 1966, when the population grew by 3.78 million, followed by a second surge of 2.89 million between 1976 and 1982, ministry data showed. In 2023, the first of those baby boom generations — those born in the late 1950s and early 1960s — began to enter retirement, triggering
ECONOMIC BOOST: Should the more than 23 million people eligible for the NT$10,000 handouts spend them the same way as in 2023, GDP could rise 0.5 percent, an official said Universal cash handouts of NT$10,000 (US$330) are to be disbursed late next month at the earliest — including to permanent residents and foreign residents married to Taiwanese — pending legislative approval, the Ministry of Finance said yesterday. The Executive Yuan yesterday approved the Special Act for Strengthening Economic, Social and National Security Resilience in Response to International Circumstances (因應國際情勢強化經濟社會及民生國安韌性特別條例). The NT$550 billion special budget includes NT$236 billion for the cash handouts, plus an additional NT$20 billion set aside as reserve funds, expected to be used to support industries. Handouts might begin one month after the bill is promulgated and would be completed within
NO CHANGE: The TRA makes clear that the US does not consider the status of Taiwan to have been determined by WWII-era documents, a former AIT deputy director said The American Institute in Taiwan’s (AIT) comments that World War-II era documents do not determine Taiwan’s political status accurately conveyed the US’ stance, the US Department of State said. An AIT spokesperson on Saturday said that a Chinese official mischaracterized World War II-era documents as stating that Taiwan was ceded to the China. The remarks from the US’ de facto embassy in Taiwan drew criticism from the Ma Ying-jeou Foundation, whose director said the comments put Taiwan in danger. The Chinese-language United Daily News yesterday reported that a US State Department spokesperson confirmed the AIT’s position. They added that the US would continue to
IMPORTANT BACKER: China seeks to expel US influence from the Indo-Pacific region and supplant Washington as the global leader, MAC Minister Chiu Chui-cheng said China is preparing for war to seize Taiwan, Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) said in Washington on Friday, warning that Taiwan’s fall would trigger a regional “domino effect” endangering US security. In a speech titled “Maintaining the Peaceful and Stable Status Quo Across the Taiwan Strait is in Line with the Shared Interests of Taiwan and the United States,” Chiu said Taiwan’s strategic importance is “closely tied” to US interests. Geopolitically, Taiwan sits in a “core position” in the first island chain — an arc stretching from Japan, through Taiwan and the Philippines, to Borneo, which is shared by
RSS