Accusations by one of the nation's 10 most wanted fugitives that President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) had accepted his donations in the run-up to the presidential election in 2000 and the Taipei City mayoral election in 1998 were shrugged off by the Presidential Office and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) yesterday.
"It's vile to accuse the president with such an obscure insinuation. We strongly suspect the allegation is a political maneuver deliberately staged by someone with an evil mindset," said Presidential Office spokesman James Huang (
PHOTO: YEH CHIH-MING, TAIPEI TIMES
The former chairman of the Tuntex Group Chen You-hao (
Chen You-hao was indicted on charges of breach of trust and reportedly left Taiwan in August 2002. He has been accused of stealing about NT$800 million from the Tuntex Group's subsidiary Tunghua Development in 1995 and investing the money in China.
Chen You-hao said that the president has completely disappointed him with his campaign against "black gold" politics. He also implicated Deputy Secretary-General to the Presidential Office Chen Che-nan (
Describing himself as a "political refugee," Chen You-hao questioned the DPP-led government's motive to include him in the list of the 10 most wanted fugitives, saying the move was politically motivated.
"I've learned that it was a political decision made by those higher up," Chen You-hao said in one of the statements. "The charge against me is false according to the report released by the Investigation Bureau in July 2002 ? The investment in China, totaling US$2 million, was legal because it was approved by the government."
Chen You-hao also likened the president to Adolf Hitler.
"What you've done over the years has reminded me of Germany's dictator Hitler," he said. "His whole life tells a story to the world of how the power of the people can lift a politician up to the sky and how a despot can bring catastrophe to his own country."
"It takes rationality and legality to deepen democracy, but I have seen you incite the public to hate China and Chinese people," Chen You-hao said in the statement.
Speaking on behalf of Chen Che-nan, Huang said that the Presidential Office deputy secretary-general has never taken the initiative to meet Chen You-hao and has not been involved in any deals with him, although he did meet Chen You-hao several times over the years.
Chang faxed a statement to the Presidential Office to dismiss Chen You-hao's allegations. According to Chang, he did meet Chen You-hao in 1999, but did not engage in anything illegal.
"While I welcome a judicial investigation into the matter, I'm calling on Chen You-hao to return home immediately to offer his testimony. I also don't rule out the possibility of filing a defamation suit against him in future," Chang said in his statement.
DPP campaign spokesman Wu Nai-jen (
"It's obvious that Chen You-hao enjoys a close relationship with the pan-blue camp, because according to the Control Yuan's investigation report on the Chung Hsiung Bills Finance scandal, the NT$100 million contribution made by Chen You-hao ended up in Soong's bank account," Wu said.
In the Chung Hsiung Bills Finance scandal, which was uncovered in 1999 in the run-up to the 2000 presidential election, Soong was alleged to have embezzled funds from the KMT. The case was generally believed to have led to Soong losing the election.
Cabinet Spokesman Lin Chia-lung (
"There are four different categories of people included in the 10 most wanted list, and Chen You-hao is one of those accused of committing financial crimes," he said.
Additional reporting by Lin Chieh-yu
Also see story:
KEY INDUSTRY: The vice premier discussed a plan to create a non-red drone supply chain by next year, which has been allocated a budget of more than NT$7.2 billion The government has budgeted NT$44.2 billion (US$1.38 billion) to cultivate Taiwan’s uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) industry over the next five years, which would make the nation a major player in the industry’s democratic supply chain in the Asia-Pacific region, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) said yesterday. Cho made the remarks during a visit to the facilities of Cub Elecparts Inc (為升電裝). Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Chen Su-yueh (陳素月) and Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Hsieh Yi-fong (謝依鳳) also participated in the trip. Cub Elecparts has transitioned from the automotive industry to the defense industry, which is the top priority among the nation’s
SOUTH KOREA DISPUTE: If Seoul continues to ignore its request, Taiwan would change South Korea’s designation on its arrival cards, the foreign ministry said If South Korea does not reply appropriately to a request to correct Taiwan’s name on its e-Arrival card system before March 31, the government would take corresponding measures to change how South Korea is labeled on the online Taiwan Arrival Card system, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday. South Korea’s e-Arrival card system lists Taiwan as “China (Taiwan)” in the “point of departure” and “next destination” fields. Taipei has asked Seoul to change the wording. Since March 1, South Koreans who hold government-issued Alien Resident Certificates (ARC) have been identified as from “South Korea” rather than the “Republic of Korea,” the
SUFFICIENT: The president said Taiwan has enough oil for next month, with reserves covering more than 100 days and natural gas enough for 12 to 14 days A restart plan for the Guosheng Nuclear Power Plant in New Taipei City’s Wanli District (萬里) and the Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant in Pingtung County’s Hengchun Township (恆春) would be submitted to the Nuclear Safety Commission by the end of the month, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday, reversing the government’s policy to abolish nuclear energy. On May 17 last year, Taiwan shut down its last nuclear reactor and became the first non-nuclear nation in East Asia, fulfilling the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government’s pledge of a “nuclear-free homeland.” Even without nuclear power, Taiwan can maintain a stable electricity supply until 2032,
DEROGATORY: WTO host Cameroon’s designation of Taiwan as a ‘province of China’ seriously undermines the nation’s status and rights as a WTO member, MOFA said The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) yesterday condemned Cameroon for listing Taiwan as “Taiwan, Province of China” in visa documents for an upcoming WTO ministerial conference, a move that led to Taiwan’s withdrawal from the event. The designation “seriously undermined” Taiwan’s status and rights as a WTO member, the ministry said in a statement. It is the first time since 2001 that Taiwan has declined to attend a WTO Ministerial Conference. The conference is scheduled to take place from Thursday to Sunday next week in Yaounde, the capital of Cameroon. Taiwan had planned to send a delegation led by Minister Without Portfolio
RSS