Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers yesterday decried an alleged Chinese investigation into political donations made by Taiwanese businesses that operate in China, saying that the democratic value of transparency should not be used for political oppression.
The Chinese government is allegedly looking into whether Taiwanese corporations with operations in China have donated to the pan-green camp — which in Taiwan is public information — and aims to have the firms make “political statements” akin to that made by Taiwan-based cafe and bakery chain 85°C (85度C), a source said yesterday.
The cafe on Aug. 15 declared its support for the so-called “1992 consensus” and the peaceful development of cross-strait ties when Chinese netizens threatened to boycott the chain after one of its branches in Los Angeles allegedly gave President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) a gift package while she was en route to Paraguay and Belize.
Photo: CNA
Some Taiwanese corporations have already approached pan-green politicians and legislators “seeking help,” the source said.
Asked for comment, Deputy Legislative Speaker Tsai Chi-chang (蔡其昌) said: “While we encourage the transparency of political donations to civil servants, the identity of Taiwanese corporations in China that make donations should be protected.”
Beijing intrusions just deepen Taiwanese loathing for China and such actions “are ill-willed acts to undermine cross-strait development,” he added.
Information made public under the Political Donations Act (政治獻金法) should not make donors a target of political suppression, DPP Legislator Lai Jui-lung (賴瑞隆) said.
Any such action seeking to counter democratic values and influence economic activity should be condemned, Lai said.
The 85°C incident serves as a lesson on Chinese intrusion into the private affairs of companies and Beijing continuing the practice as a way to oppress Taiwanese corporations in China would only further alienate Taiwanese, he said.
National security-related agencies should have a stronger response to political threats made by an authoritarian China against Taiwan’s democracy, Lai said.
Domestic political parties should not collude with China to oppress Taiwanese democratic values, which were hard-fought and could be lost if allowed to slip away, Lai added.
The declaration of political donations should not lead to donors’ right to privacy being breached, a DPP party official said on condition of anonymity, adding that the information should only be revealed if criminal activity is suspected, or in other “special” circumstances.
Asked whether the alleged breach by China would result in fewer donations to the pan-green camp, DPP Legislator Kuan Bi-ling (管碧玲) said the move by Beijing would be ineffective and only cause China to lose further support in Taiwan, while DPP Legislator Tsai Yi-yu (蔡易餘) said it would not only fail to cut off funding for the party, but also “help the campaigns of pan-green candidates.”
DPP Legislator Rosalia Wu (吳思瑤) said the alleged Chinese actions were absurd and constituted a direct intrusion into Taiwanese politics and elections, adding that such actions would only have adverse effects.
A signaling system malfunction disrupted high-speed rail (HSR) services beginning at 8am today, with trains temporarily reduced to three northbound and three southbound trains per hour as authorities conduct inspections. The malfunction occurred on a section of track in Miaoli County during pre-operation checks early this morning, forcing northbound and southbound trains to use a single track, the HSR operator said. The regular schedule has been replaced with three hourly trains offering only nonreserved seating in each direction, stopping at every station, it said, adding that business class cars would still have reserved seating. Departures from terminal stations are scheduled at the top
DRONE CENTRAL: Taiwan aims to become Asia’s democratic hub for drones, with most exports focused on high-quality military-grade models, an official said Taiwan’s drone industry is expected to expand significantly by 2030, producing 100,000 units per month and exporting half of them, the Ministry of Economic Affairs said yesterday. Current drone production capacity is about 15,000 units per month, but the industry can quickly scale up as demand increases, Industrial Development Administration Director-General Chiou Chyou-huey (邱求慧) told a news conference in Taipei. Taiwan’s drone output grew 2.5-fold last year to NT$12.9 billion (US$408.3 million) under a government program to develop the uncrewed vehicle sector, he said. The Executive Yuan in October last year approved plans to invest NT$44.2 billion into domestic production of uncrewed aerial
VERBOSE VESSELS: A CGA cutter and a China Coast Guard exchanged verbal barbs for more than a day in Taiwanese-controlled waters before the Chinese vessel left The Taiwanese and Chinese coast guards had a standoff near the strategically located Pratas Islands (Dongsha Islands, 東沙群島) in the north of the South China Sea, the Coast Guard Administration (CGA) said yesterday. The two sides engaged in intense radio exchanges over sovereignty claims during the 33-hour standoff. China Coast Guard vessel 3501 eventually left the restricted waters, 26.6 nautical miles (49.2km) west of the Pratas Islands, at 5pm yesterday, the CGA said. Lying approximately between southern Taiwan and Hong Kong, the Taiwan-controlled Pratas are seen by some security experts as vulnerable to Chinese attack due to their distance — more than
WARNING: China should stop engaging in actions that undermine regional peace and stability, as it would only build resentment among people across the Strait, the CGA said China has deployed more than 100 navy, coast guard and other vessels in waters from the Yellow Sea to the South China Sea and the western Pacific since US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) met in Beijing, National Security Council Secretary-General Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) said yesterday. “In this part of the world, #China is the one & only PROBLEM wrecking the #StatusQuo & threatening regional peace & stability,” Wu wrote on X. In a separate post, he said Beijing was coercing Taiwan’s maritime domain, calling it illegal and provocative, after the Coast Guard Administration (CGA) expelled a
RSS