Netizens yesterday challenged the Chinese-language China Times’ claim that its intern, Han Fu-yu (韓福宇), is not a member of the Communist Youth League of China (CYL).
The league, tasked with the mission to promote communism, has long been regarded as a training ground for promising political talent. Notable members include Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (李克強) and Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Central Committee member Hu Chunhua (胡春華).
The China Times on Tuesday issued a statement defending Han, after the Legislative Yuan pressed charges against the intern for throwing water balloons at Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers during a joint committee review of the budget for the Forward-looking Infrastructure Development Program on Wednesday last week.
Photo: Screen grab from the Internet
Han, a Taiwanese student and recipient of a scholarship from Beijing’s Communication University of China, could not possibly be a CCP spy, as he is not a member of the Communist Youth League, the China Times statement said.
However, Taiwanese online news Web site Newtalk yesterday reported that Taiwanese netizens have found Han’s name and photograph on the school’s Web site — in a section where student members of the league are shown — and shared the discovery on Facebook. ‘
Han is listed as a “director” of the league’s student committee, with an insignia of the league shown on the top of the page, the report said.
The disclosure went viral and drew an influx of online comments, with many netizens criticizing Han’s apparent affiliation with the league.
“He took selfies throwing balloons at DPP lawmakers, so he can go back to China to claim his reward,” a netizen said.
“Being a member of the league, [he] won’t have problem joining the CCP. A bright future awaits,” another said.
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus secretary-general Lin Wei-chou (林為洲) yesterday expressed amazement at the turn of events, saying it was something he “could not have imagined.”
“If true, the China Times should explain whether it knew of Han’s identity before bringing him into the legislature,” Lin said.
DPP Legislator Huang Wei-cher (黃偉哲) said that one does not need to be a member of the league to be a spy for China, adding that league members are usually given political assignments.
He urged prosecutors to promptly ascertain Han’s identity.
Han has previously denied being a league member, saying that he had only been a member of the China Young Volunteers.
According to the China Young Volunteers Web site, it is a spinoff of the CYL.
China Young Volunteers’ articles of association said it is under the CYL’s direct supervision.
The government is aiming to recruit 1,096 foreign English teachers and teaching assistants this year, the Ministry of Education said yesterday. The foreign teachers would work closely with elementary and junior-high instructors to create and teach courses, ministry official Tsai Yi-ching (蔡宜靜) said. Together, they would create an immersive language environment, helping to motivate students while enhancing the skills of local teachers, she said. The ministry has since 2021 been recruiting foreign teachers through the Taiwan Foreign English Teacher Program, which offers placement, salary, housing and other benefits to eligible foreign teachers. Two centers serving northern and southern Taiwan assist in recruiting and training
WIDE NET: Health officials said they are considering all possibilities, such as bongkrekic acid, while the city mayor said they have not ruled out the possibility of a malicious act of poisoning Two people who dined at a restaurant in Taipei’s Far Eastern Department Store Xinyi A13 last week have died, while four are in intensive care, the Taipei Department of Health said yesterday. All of the outlets of Malaysian vegetarian restaurant franchise Polam Kopitiam have been ordered to close pending an investigation after 11 people became ill due to suspected food poisoning, city officials told a news conference in Taipei. The first fatality, a 39-year-old man who ate at the restaurant on Friday last week, died of kidney failure two days later at the city’s Mackay Memorial Hospital. A 66-year-old man who dined
EYE ON STRAIT: The US spending bill ‘doubles security cooperation funding for Taiwan,’ while also seeking to counter the influence of China US President Joe Biden on Saturday signed into law a US$1.2 trillion spending package that includes US$300 million in foreign military financing to Taiwan, as well as funding for Taipei-Washington cooperative projects. The US Congress early on Saturday overwhelmingly passed the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act 2024 to avoid a partial shutdown and fund the government through September for a fiscal year that began six months ago. Under the package, the Defense Appropriations Act would provide a US$27 billion increase from the previous fiscal year to fund “critical national defense efforts, including countering the PRC [People’s Republic of China],” according to a summary
‘CARRIER KILLERS’: The Tuo Chiang-class corvettes’ stealth capability means they have a radar cross-section as small as the size of a fishing boat, an analyst said President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) yesterday presided over a ceremony at Yilan County’s Suao Harbor (蘇澳港), where the navy took delivery of two indigenous Tuo Chiang-class corvettes. The corvettes, An Chiang (安江) and Wan Chiang (萬江), along with the introduction of the coast guard’s third and fourth 4,000-tonne cutters earlier this month, are a testament to Taiwan’s shipbuilding capability and signify the nation’s resolve to defend democracy and freedom, Tsai said. The vessels are also the last two of six Tuo Chiang-class corvettes ordered from Lungteh Shipbuilding Co (龍德造船) by the navy, Tsai said. The first Tuo Chiang-class vessel delivered was Ta Chiang (塔江)