The Taiwan High Court yesterday did not hand down a ruling on Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng’s (王金平) injunction against the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) revocation of his party membership, as lawyers representing both sides continued to hold heated debates.
The court could make a ruling as early as today on the status of Wang’s membership, which was revoked by the KMT on Sept. 11 over his alleged involvement in improper lobbying.
If the court upholds the previous ruling on the case made by the Taipei District Court on Sept. 13, which allowed Wang to retain his membership, he would provisionally be able to keep his positions as a KMT legislator-at-large and as legislative speaker pending an appeal if the KMT elects to contest the ruling with the Supreme Court.
Photo: CNA
At yesterday’s three-hour hearing, eight lawyers representing Wang and three acting on behalf of the KMT made their cases to Presiding Judge Wei Li-chuan (魏麗娟).
Hsu Ying-chieh (許英傑), one of Wang’s lawyers, said that the transcripts from the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office Special Investigation Division’s (SID) wiretap — cited by President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) and the KMT as proof that Wang participated in lobbying to take legal pressure off Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus whip Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) — should have been invalidated because the wiretap itself was illegal and an abuse of the division’s investigative rights.
The KMT’s lawyer Chen Ming (陳明) had previously said that the Taipei District Court “has no jurisdiction” over the case because a person being disciplined by their party is “a matter within the scope of the party’s autonomy,” adding that his interpretation was supported by a verdict rendered by the Japanese Supreme Court in a similar case involving a party member’s status in Japan 30 years ago.
However, Hsu told reporters after yesterday’s hearing that the KMT lawyers were misinterpreting the case in Japan as a court had eventually decided the case, which lent support to Wang’s lawyers’ stance that the KMT’s right to autonomy as a party should not be unlimited.
In addition, the party has not specified how Wang has damaged its reputation and the KMT’s Central Evaluation and Discipline Committee is designated by its chairman, Ma, not via a democratic process, raising questions about its independence, Hsu said.
The party’s lawyers submitted five documents stating six disputed points and 30 arguments about the initial ruling and the KMT’s handling of the case to the High Court before yesterday’s hearing, but did not come up with any fresh arguments.
The judge asked the KMT during yesterday’s hearing to submit additional documents to specify how Wang had damaged the party’s image.
The party appealed the case with the Taiwan High Court after the Taipei District Court ruled that Wang could keep his rights as a KMT member until a final ruling is made, on the condition that he pay a guarantee of NT$9.38 million (US$315,000) to the party.
According to the law, if the KMT wins the appeal, the case will be sent back to the district court for reconsideration, but if the appeal fails, the party may appeal the decision to the Supreme Court.
SECURITY: As China is ‘reshaping’ Hong Kong’s population, Taiwan must raise the eligibility threshold for applications from Hong Kongers, Chiu Chui-cheng said When Hong Kong and Macau citizens apply for residency in Taiwan, it would be under a new category that includes a “national security observation period,” Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) said yesterday. President William Lai (賴清德) on March 13 announced 17 strategies to counter China’s aggression toward Taiwan, including incorporating national security considerations into the review process for residency applications from Hong Kong and Macau citizens. The situation in Hong Kong is constantly changing, Chiu said to media yesterday on the sidelines of the Taipei Technology Run hosted by the Taipei Neihu Technology Park Development Association. With
CARROT AND STICK: While unrelenting in its military threats, China attracted nearly 40,000 Taiwanese to over 400 business events last year Nearly 40,000 Taiwanese last year joined industry events in China, such as conferences and trade fairs, supported by the Chinese government, a study showed yesterday, as Beijing ramps up a charm offensive toward Taipei alongside military pressure. China has long taken a carrot-and-stick approach to Taiwan, threatening it with the prospect of military action while reaching out to those it believes are amenable to Beijing’s point of view. Taiwanese security officials are wary of what they see as Beijing’s influence campaigns to sway public opinion after Taipei and Beijing gradually resumed travel links halted by the COVID-19 pandemic, but the scale of
A US Marine Corps regiment equipped with Naval Strike Missiles (NSM) is set to participate in the upcoming Balikatan 25 exercise in the Luzon Strait, marking the system’s first-ever deployment in the Philippines. US and Philippine officials have separately confirmed that the Navy Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS) — the mobile launch platform for the Naval Strike Missile — would take part in the joint exercise. The missiles are being deployed to “a strategic first island chain chokepoint” in the waters between Taiwan proper and the Philippines, US-based Naval News reported. “The Luzon Strait and Bashi Channel represent a critical access
Pope Francis is be laid to rest on Saturday after lying in state for three days in St Peter’s Basilica, where the faithful are expected to flock to pay their respects to history’s first Latin American pontiff. The cardinals met yesterday in the Vatican’s synod hall to chart the next steps before a conclave begins to choose Francis’ successor, as condolences poured in from around the world. According to current norms, the conclave must begin between May 5 and 10. The cardinals set the funeral for Saturday at 10am in St Peter’s Square, to be celebrated by the dean of the College
RSS