Minister of Transportation and Communications Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) yesterday said that he would not cover up any illegal behavior by the management of China Airlines Ltd (CAL, 中華航空) and would hold top officials accountable following the detention of two National Security Bureau employees.
China Airlines’ largest shareholder, the China Aviation Development Foundation, is controlled by the government, with Deputy Minister of Transportation and Communications Wang Kwo-tsai (王國材) serving as board chairman.
After claiming on Monday that a National Security Bureau official who accompanied President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on her visit to Taiwan’s Caribbean allies tried to use officials’ speedy clearance through customs to smuggle in cigarettes, New Power Party Legislator Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) yesterday accused the airline’s management of complicity.
Photo: CNA
Asked about Huang’s allegations, Lin said that he had asked the airline to launch an internal probe and to cooperate fully with an investigation by prosecutors, adding that the airline should clarify its responsibility in the matter.
“I have also asked the airline to tell the public whether similar incidents have happened in the past and how they were handled,” Lin said. “I will not tolerate illegal behavior on the part of the airline, nor will I impede accountability for this case from reaching the highest levels of the airline’s management.”
Asked if the airline should investigate incidents that might have occurred during former president Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) two terms, Lin said that investigators should follow the evidence wherever it takes them.
The airline’s integrity is in question and the investigation should not stop at the present incident, Lin said, adding that the company probe should be comprehensive.
Asked if CAL chairman Hsieh Shih-chien (謝世謙) — who assumed the position in April after a strike by pilots in February — would be asked to step down because of the incident, Lin said that the ministry would examine all of the evidence and determine what personnel changes were needed.
The ministry would also ensure that the airline’s probe is transparent, as the public should be allowed to see the results, he said.
Lin said that an investigation of the incident would not affect the appointment of a new CAL president, a position that remains vacant.
Taipei City Councilor William Hsu (徐弘庭) of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) said that the incident has shown how the Democratic Progressive Party has placed many of its own people in management positions in the airline.
The incident was a “corrupt custom” that has been practiced for years, Lin said, adding that the airline should take full responsibility for it to regain the public’s trust.
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
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
SENATE RECOMMENDATION: The National Defense Authorization Act encourages the US secretary of defense to invite Taiwan’s navy to participate in the exercises in Hawaii The US Senate on Thursday last week passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2026, which strongly encourages the US secretary of defense to invite Taiwan’s naval forces to participate in the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise, as well as allocating military aid of US$1 billion for Taiwan. The bill, which authorizes appropriations for the military activities of the US Department of Defense, military construction and other purposes, passed with 77 votes in support and 20 against. While the NDAA authorizes about US$925 billion of defense spending, the Central News Agency yesterday reported that an aide of US
NATIONAL DAY: The ‘Taiwan Dome’ would form the centerpiece of new efforts to bolster air defense and be modeled after Israel’s ‘Iron Dome,’ sources said President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday pledged to strengthen the nation’s air defense capabilities and build a “T-Dome” system to create a safety net against growing military threats from China. “We will accelerate our building of the T-Dome, establish a rigorous air defense system in Taiwan with multi-layered defense, high-level detection and effective interception, and weave a safety net for Taiwan to protect the lives and property of citizens,” he said in his National Day address. In his keynote address marking the Republic of China’s (ROC) 114th anniversary, Lai said the lessons of World War II have taught nations worldwide “to ensure that
RSS