The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) yesterday revoked Defense Minister Lee Jye's (
"Lee has said that he only listened to what the ruling party said. Such comments seriously jeopardize ... military ethics," the KMT's Evaluation and Discipline Committee said in a written statement yesterday.
The committee had decided to revoke Lee's membership at a meeting on Wednesday, but the decision was only announced yesterday.
PHOTO: LIU HSIN-DE, TAIPEI TIMES
As the country's highest-ranking military officer and a KMT member, Lee should not have made disrespectful comments about former KMT chairman Chiang Kai-shek (蔣介石), the committee said.
"Lee showed disrespect for the [late party] chairman. He is an opportunist who is out to please those in power. He surrendered to the ruling party's political ideologies by saying that `I listen to whichever party is in power,'" the KMT said in a statement.
"The KMT decided to revoke his membership because he has not only violated the military's code of ethics ... but also triggered attacks from the public and damaged the party's reputation," it said.
The defense ministry last month ordered the removal of hundreds of statues of Chiang from military bases despite strong protest from the KMT, which denounced the move as part of efforts from the government to sever the nation's "Chinese roots."
Lee has denied claims that he took the initiative to remove the statues and said they were only "temporarily moved indoors for storage."
The KMT also accused the minister of pandering to the whims of those in power and fawning over the DPP government.
The party decided to revoke Lee's membership as his comments and actions have met with harsh criticism from voters and seriously tarnished the KMT's image, the committee said.
Lee responded to his expulsion at a legislative session yesterday.
"We recognize former president Chiang's contributions to the military. ... I regret the KMT's decision, but I accept it," he said.
Lee said he was sorry that he had been expelled from the KMT, but added that he would not consider an offer from the DPP to join the ruling party at this moment.
When the KMT's legislative caucus announced Lee's expulsion yesterday, DPP Legislator Hsueh Ling (
"I am sorry about what they [the KMT] did, but I am also thankful that they did it. It came at the right time, because someone in my job should not be concerned with politics," Lee said.
"Although I do not understand why the KMT would do this to me, I will accept the party's decision. In any case, it will be easier for me to do my job properly if I do not belong to any political party," Lee said.
FREEDOM OF NAVIGATION: The UK would continue to reinforce ties with Taiwan ‘in a wide range of areas’ as a part of a ‘strong unofficial relationship,’ a paper said The UK plans to conduct more freedom of navigation operations in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea, British Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs David Lammy told the British House of Commons on Tuesday. British Member of Parliament Desmond Swayne said that the Royal Navy’s HMS Spey had passed through the Taiwan Strait “in pursuit of vital international freedom of navigation in the South China Sea.” Swayne asked Lammy whether he agreed that it was “proper and lawful” to do so, and if the UK would continue to carry out similar operations. Lammy replied “yes” to both questions. The
‘OF COURSE A COUNTRY’: The president outlined that Taiwan has all the necessary features of a nation, including citizens, land, government and sovereignty President William Lai (賴清德) discussed the meaning of “nation” during a speech in New Taipei City last night, emphasizing that Taiwan is a country as he condemned China’s misinterpretation of UN Resolution 2758. The speech was the first in a series of 10 that Lai is scheduled to give across Taiwan. It is the responsibility of Taiwanese citizens to stand united to defend their national sovereignty, democracy, liberty, way of life and the future of the next generation, Lai said. This is the most important legacy the people of this era could pass on to future generations, he said. Lai went on to discuss
SECOND SPEECH: All political parties should work together to defend democracy, protect Taiwan and resist the CCP, despite their differences, the president said President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday discussed how pro-Taiwan and pro-Republic of China (ROC) groups can agree to maintain solidarity on the issue of protecting Taiwan and resisting the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The talk, delivered last night at Taoyuan’s Hakka Youth Association, was the second in a series of 10 that Lai is scheduled to give across Taiwan. Citing Taiwanese democracy pioneer Chiang Wei-shui’s (蔣渭水) slogan that solidarity brings strength, Lai said it was a call for political parties to find consensus amid disagreements on behalf of bettering the nation. All political parties should work together to defend democracy, protect Taiwan and resist
By refusing to agree spending increases to appease US President Donald Trump, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez threatened to derail a summit that NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte needs to run smoothly for the sake of the military alliance’s future survival. Ahead of yesterday’s gathering in The Hague, Netherlands, things were going off the rails. European officials have expressed irritation at the spoiler role that Sanchez is playing when their No. 1 task is to line up behind a pledge to raise defense spending to 5 percent of GDP. Rutte needed to keep Spain in line while preventing others such as Slovakia
RSS