The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) yesterday said it is “puzzled by and regrets” former vice president Lien Chan’s (連戰) attendance at China’s massive military parade to mark Japan’s defeat in World War II.
The People First Party (PFP), on the other hand, said that its secretary-general, Chin Ching-sheng (秦金生), who is in Beijing for the commemorations, did not attend the parade — a claim that another attendee challenged.
Despite strong denunciations by many politicians across party lines, Lien attended the Chinese military show of force, along with about 300 other representatives from Taiwan, reports said.
Photo: CNA
KMT spokesperson Yang Wei-chung (楊偉中) reiterated that the war against Japan was led by the Republic of China (ROC) government and that the KMT is “unwavering in upholding democratic values” and the “historical truth about the war.”
The KMT “deeply regrets and is much puzzled by former [KMT] chairman Lien’s attendance at [China’s] military parade, on the same day as the Armed Forces Day of the ROC,” Yang said.
Responding to calls from KMT members — such as Taipei City Councilor Lee Hsin (李新) — for the party to take disciplinary action against Lien, Yang said there are differing opinions within the party about members attending the parade.
Photo: Yen Hung-chun, Taipei Times
“These opinions will be discussed and [the cases involving those members will] be handled in accordance with party mechanisms,” he added.
PFP Deputy Secretary-General Liu Wen-hsiung (劉文雄) said that Chin did not attend the parade.
However, the Chinese-language Apple Daily, citing an anonymous attendee in Beijing, said that Chin had been on the Tiananmen Gate rostrum during the parade.
The source alleged that Chin had climbed up the rostrum with other members of the group, but later excused himself and went to a staff room in the back, saying he did not feel well.
PFP spokesperson Clarence Wu (吳崑玉) denied the allegations, saying Chin “was not on the rostrum” of the Tiananmen Gate.
The Apple Daily report said that a PFP member said Chin had “technically avoided” viewing the military parade, as Chin told PFP headquarters that the invited group had to “act as a whole,” but he left the seat arranged by the Chinese government on a pretext, which should be counted as “absence.”
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Changhua chapter director Chen Chin-ting (陳進丁) filed a lawsuit at the Changhua District Prosecutors’ Office against Lien, accusing him of “civil disturbance” and “treason.”
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
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
SHIFT PRIORITIES: The US should first help Taiwan respond to actions China is already taking, instead of focusing too heavily on deterring a large-scale invasion, an expert said US Air Force leaders on Thursday voiced concerns about the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) missile capabilities and its development of a “kill web,” and said that the US Department of Defense’s budget request for next year prioritizes bolstering defenses in the Indo-Pacific region due to the increasing threat posed by China. US experts said that a full-scale Chinese invasion of Taiwan is risky and unlikely, with Beijing more likely to pursue coercive tactics such as political warfare or blockades to achieve its goals. Senior air force and US Space Force leaders, including US Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink and
RSS