Singapore has reportedly denied entry to Veterans Affairs Council Director Lee Shying-jow (李翔宙), who was on his way to visit veterans of the Republic of China (ROC) armed forces residing in Singapore, despite a tacit agreement that the visit had been approved, a media report said.
Representative to Singapore Liang Kuo-hsing (梁國興) could not be reached on his cellphone yesterday for comment.
Council officials did not deny the report, but they refused to comment on it.
Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times
Lee, who was on his way to Thailand, had planned the stopover with the tacit approval of the Singaporean government, the report said.
Last month, Hong Kong customs authorities seized armored vehicles belonging to Singapore’s military that arrived in the territory on their way back from Taiwan after a training exercise permitted by a defense agreement with Taiwan.
The report of Lee’s denied entry and the Hong Kong incident have prompted concern that Beijing is pressuring Singapore over its ties with Taiwan.
Sources said Lee’s high status — he once served as deputy minister of national defense, a commander of the ROC Army, director-general of the National Security Bureau and as a senior presidential adviser — might have prompted concern from Singapore or Beijing.
Lee’s visit to Singapore was arranged after he was invited to attend a semi-official event in Thailand by the Thai royal family’s agricultural foundation at the end of this month.
Lee said it was appropriate that he should visit Singapore on his way to Thailand, an unnamed official at the Veterans Affairs Council told online outlet Up Media.
Another purpose of Lee’s visit to Thailand was to pay respects to the family of Sung Ching-yun (宋慶雲), a Taiwanese agricultural expert working in the kingdom who recently died there, Up Media quoted the official as saying.
The official said the council frequently assisted diplomatic efforts in the US by interacting with retired US military personnel, many of whom remained influential in military and intelligence circles or had since became politicians, according to Up Media.
The Ministry of the Interior (MOI) is to tighten rules for candidates running for public office, requiring them to declare that they do not hold a Chinese household registration or passport, and that they possess no other foreign citizenship. The requirement was set out in a draft amendment to the Enforcement Rules of the Public Officials Election and Recall Act (公職人員選舉罷免法 ) released by the ministry on Thursday. Under the proposal, candidates would need to make the declaration when submitting their registration forms, which would be published in the official election bulletin. The move follows the removal of several elected officials who were
The Republic of China (ROC) is celebrating its 114th Double Ten National Day today, featuring military parades and a variety of performances and speeches in front of the Presidential Office in Taipei. The Taiwan Taiko Association opened the celebrations with a 100-drummer performance, including young percussionists. As per tradition, an air force Mirage 2000 fighter jet flew over the Presidential Office as a part of the performance. The Honor Guards of the ROC and its marching band also heralded in a military parade. Students from Taichung's Shin Min High School then followed with a colorful performance using floral imagery to represent Taiwan's alternate name
FOUR DESIGNATED AREAS: Notices were issued for live-fire exercises in waters south and northwest of Penghu, northeast of Keelung and west of Kaohsiung, they said The military is planning three major annual exercises across the army, navy and air force this month, with the navy’s “Hai Chiang” (海強, “Sea Strong”) drills running from today through Thursday, the Ministry of National Defense said yesterday. The Hai Chiang exercise, which is to take place in waters surrounding Taiwan, would feature P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft and S-70C anti-submarine helicopters, the ministry said, adding that the drills aim to bolster the nation’s offshore defensive capabilities. China has intensified military and psychological pressure against Taiwan, repeatedly sending warplanes and vessels into areas near the nation’s air defense identification zone and across
A Chinese takeover of Taiwan would severely threaten the national security of the US, Japan, the Philippines and other nations, while global economic losses could reach US$10 trillion, National Security Council Deputy Secretary-General Lin Fei-fan (林飛帆) wrote in an article published yesterday in Foreign Affairs. “The future of Taiwan is not merely a regional concern; it is a test of whether the international order can withstand the pressure of authoritarian expansionism,” Lin wrote in the article titled “Taiwan’s Plan for Peace Through Strength — How Investments in Resilience Can Deter Beijing.” Chinese President Xi Jinping’s (習近平) intent to take Taiwan by force
RSS