Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) Secretary-General Kao Koong-lian (高孔廉) said at the legislature that Hsu had been invited in his capacity as the chairman of an electronics company and was not representing the foundation.
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Wu Yu-sheng (吳育昇) urged the trio to resign if they attended the celebrations, saying it was “absurd” for presidential advisers to do so, a call that was echoed by KMT Legislator Chang Hsien-yao (張顯耀) of the Foreign and National Defense Committee.
“It is very inappropriate [for them to take part in the events] as presidential advisers of the Republic of China,” Chang said. “It is inappropriate for anyone serving as a government official or government representative.”
Chang said the events could muddle the national identity of the advisers.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Spokesman Chao Tien-lin (趙天麟) said Ma must shoulder the responsibility for the three advisers’ actions.
“Although there is no legal issue regarding their attendance, they are, after all, presidential advisers. But the fact that they are in Beijing, taking part in an event that features Chinese military strength while China still has more than 1,000 missiles pointed at Taiwan” is offensive, he said.
Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Tsai Huang-liang (蔡煌瑯) said: “Even though they are advisers to the president, the four cannot tell the difference between friend and foe.”
KMT caucus secretary-general Lu Hsueh-chang (呂學樟), however, said it was acceptable for advisers to participate in such events as individuals.
“Taiwan is a democracy. I think it is OK for people to join national day celebrations or festivals of other countries,” Lu said.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY FLORA WANG, JENNY W. HSU AND CNA
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