Lawmakers across party lines yesterday lashed out at a retired general for allegedly suggesting that the Republic of China (ROC) Army and the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) be called “China’s army.”
Taiwanese media, citing a Chinese media report quoting PLA Major General Luo Yuan (羅援), said a Taiwanese speaker recently told a gathering of retired generals from both sides of the Strait in China: “From now on, we should no longer separate the ROC Army and the PLA. We are all China’s army.”
The report identified the speaker as former ROC Air Force General Hsia Ying-chou (夏瀛洲).
Photo: Lo Tien-pin, Taipei Times
The Ministry of National Defense (MND) yesterday issued a statement saying it had checked with Hsia, who said the media report was “not factual.”
The statement said the ministry had never authorized any group or individual to discuss, exchange views or speak with China on its behalf, adding that any comments made by individuals were said in a “private” capacity.
DENIAL
Hsia’s denial did little to appease lawmakers, with the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus demanding the resignation of Minister of National Defense Kao Hua-chu (高華柱) and Political Warfare Department Acting Director General Wang Ming-wo (王明我), saying they had “failed to set clear rules on military personnel exchanges with China.”
KMT caucus whip Hsieh Kuo--liang (謝國樑) said the reported comments had “seriously damaged the country’s dignity.”
Although retired generals are not banned from visiting China, the ministry must ensure that their statements and actions in China “meet public expectations,” Kao said.
KMT Legislator Wu Yu-sheng (吳育昇) said Hsia should apologize to the public and the Taiwanese military if the reports were true.
Wu added that statutory rules were needed to ban retired military officers from engaging or attending military-related exchanges or forums in China.
Wang, however, expressed reservations about formally banning cross-strait exchanges of military officers.
“The MND never authorizes any groups to attend these exchange activities,” Wang said.
He added that under current rules, retired military officers are not barred from making statements or attending cross-strait military exchange activities and are not subject to punishment as long as they do not disclose classified information.
Dissatisfied with Wang’s answer, Hsieh said the ministry, including Kao, should be held responsible if it failed to address the problem.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers questioned whether Hsia should continue receiving pension benefits as mandated by law, which amounts to about NT$170,000 a month.
If the allegations were true, the government should consider whether it is right that the retired general, “a person who wants to be a part of the Chinese army,” deserves to continue receiving money from Taiwanese taxpayers, DPP Legislator Wong Chin-chu (翁金珠) said.
‘TRAITORS’
DPP Legislator Tsai Huang--liang (蔡煌瑯) said retired generals who had traveled to China are “traitors who wished they were communists.”
The DPP caucus said the caucus was also considering amending the law to prevent retired senior officers from imitating the behavior of those retired generals, which they said had “impacted on Taiwan’s security.”
Replying to media questions on the sidelines of an industrial forum in Taipei, Premier Wu Den-yih (吳敦義) said he found Hsia’s alleged remarks unacceptable, adding that they “were inconsistent with the fundamental policy of the Republic of China.”
Taiwanese Olympic badminton men’s doubles gold medalist Wang Chi-lin (王齊麟) and his new partner, Chiu Hsiang-chieh (邱相榤), clinched the men’s doubles title at the Yonex Taipei Open yesterday, becoming the second Taiwanese team to win a title in the tournament. Ranked 19th in the world, the Taiwanese duo defeated Kang Min-hyuk and Ki Dong-ju of South Korea 21-18, 21-15 in a pulsating 43-minute final to clinch their first doubles title after teaming up last year. Wang, the men’s doubles gold medalist at the 2020 and 2024 Olympics, partnered with Chiu in August last year after the retirement of his teammate Lee Yang
FALSE DOCUMENTS? Actor William Liao said he was ‘voluntarily cooperating’ with police after a suspect was accused of helping to produce false medical certificates Police yesterday questioned at least six entertainers amid allegations of evasion of compulsory military service, with Lee Chuan (李銓), a member of boy band Choc7 (超克7), and actor Daniel Chen (陳大天) among those summoned. The New Taipei City District Prosecutors’ Office in January launched an investigation into a group that was allegedly helping men dodge compulsory military service using falsified medical documents. Actor Darren Wang (王大陸) has been accused of being one of the group’s clients. As the investigation expanded, investigators at New Taipei City’s Yonghe Precinct said that other entertainers commissioned the group to obtain false documents. The main suspect, a man surnamed
US Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer began talks with high-ranking Chinese officials in Switzerland yesterday aiming to de-escalate a dispute that threatens to cut off trade between the world’s two biggest economies and damage the global economy. The US delegation has begun meetings in Geneva with a Chinese delegation led by Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng (何立峰), Xinhua News Agency said. Diplomats from both sides also confirmed that the talks have begun, but spoke anonymously and the exact location of the talks was not made public. Prospects for a major breakthrough appear dim, but there is
The number of births in Taiwan fell to an all-time monthly low last month, while the population declined for the 16th consecutive month, Ministry of the Interior data released on Friday showed. The number of newborns totaled 8,684, which is 704 births fewer than in March and the lowest monthly figure on record, the ministry said. That is equivalent to roughly one baby born every five minutes and an annual crude birthrate of 4.52 per 1,000 people, the ministry added. Meanwhile, 17,205 deaths were recorded, resulting in a natural population decrease of 8,521, the data showed. More people are also leaving Taiwan, with net
RSS