Cabinet says Chiang may have broken Taiwan law

Cabinet Spokesman Chou Jung-tai (卓榮泰) said yesterday that Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Vice Chairman Chiang Pin-kun's (江丙坤) 10-point agreement with Chinese officials may have been illegal.

"Chiang may have violated Article 113 of the Criminal Code and Articles 5-1 and 33-1 of the Act Governing Relations Between Peoples of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area (兩岸人民關係條例)," Chou said.

Chou his remarks during a press conference after the weekly Cabinet meeting yesterday.

Violators Article 113 of the Criminal Code face a jail sentence of seven years to life. For the two articles of the Act Governing Relations Between Peoples of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area, violators face a potential sentence of no more than five years.

On Tuesday the Presidential Office, Cabinet and Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) headquarters came up a "seven-point agreement" which reaffirmed Taiwan's policy toward cross-strait relations.

"We did not change our policy at all," Chou said. "The `seven-point agreement' is only a clearer statement of it."

When he heard about the "seven-point agreement" yesterday morning, KMT Chairman Lien Chan's (連戰) dismissive reaction was, "What the heck is that?"

In response to Lien's comment, Chou urged Lien not to make light of the will of the Taiwanese government and people.

"We will strictly enforce the laws and protect the legal rights of Taiwanese citizens," Chou said. "There is no question about that."

Meanwhile, Minister of Justice Morley Shih (施茂林) confirmed that an anonymous plaintiff has filed suit against Chiang regarding his "10-point agreement" with Chinese officials, so prosecutors have officially begun their investigation.

Chou again said that the government will not interfere with any private meetings or trips to China. However, any contract or agreement between Taiwan and a foreign government must be authorized by the government before it is signed.

Chiang said in response that he is not concerned, because he did nothing wrong.

"I believe what I did is in accordance with the law," he said. "I will squarely face whatever means the government uses against me."

Chiang that his party took the initiative to lay down the foundation for a cross-strait agreement and work out technical problems, and is willing to let the DPP government take the credit. While his effort was criticized by the DPP government as unauthorized collaboration with the Chinese Communist Party, Chiang said that he thinks of it as "collaboration between [Taiwan's] governing and opposition party."

"The government should encourage cooperation between the governing and opposition parties instead of thwarting or criticizing it," he said, adding that his party will continue its efforts to improve cross-strait relations and the nation's economy.

(additional reporting by Ko Shu-ling)

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