The Presidential Office yesterday dismissed an allegation that National Security Council (NSC) Secretary-General Su Chi (蘇起) asked the Ministry of the Interior to provide maritime research on the waters around Taiwan to China.
Calling the allegation “groundless,” Presidential Office Spokesman Wang Yu-chi (王郁琦) urged Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Chai Trong-rong (蔡同榮) to take responsibility for the allegation.
“It is regrettable that he uses groundless rumors to mislead the public and sap the morale of government officials,” Wang said.
Pan-green legislators yesterday said they would sue President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) and Su for treason. Chai alleged that Su gave the Chinese government the results of maritime research conducted by the Ministry of the Interior on Taiwan’s seabed and reefs, including classified information.
The information was given to Beijing with Su’s assistance, Chai said.
DPP Legislator Gao Jhy-peng (高志鵬) said “Ma has gone too far this time” and that the DPP legislative caucus had decided to sue Ma and Su for treason. Gao added that their actions showed that Ma and Su were “siding with the enemy” and Ma’s decision to share classified information with Beijing amounted to treason.
“We are definitely filing the suit,” Gao said.
In a statement released later yesterday afternoon, the NSC said Su had requested that his lawyer, Taipei City Councilor Lai Su-ru (賴素如), issue a written request demanding that Chai apologize within 24 hours and retract his allegation or face a defamation lawsuit.
Rejecting Chai’s accusation as “baseless” and “false,” the statement said it was “utterly unethical and irresponsible” for Chai to make such an accusation.
It was the first time the NSC had issued a statement since Ma took office in May last year.
An NSC official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the NSC could no longer tolerate unfounded allegations made against it.
“Don’t think they can continue to bully us simply because we never fight back,” the official said, adding that Chai did not enjoy immunity because he did not make the remarks in the legislature.
Executive Yuan Secretary-General Lin Join-sane (林中森) also dismissed Chai’s allegation, saying the information had been gathered in accordance with regulations and procedures.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY FLORA WANG AND CNA
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