Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers yesterday proposed amendments that would stipulate prison sentences of three to 10 years for people convicted of spreading Chinese Communist Party (CCP) propaganda that is deemed to endanger national security.
The draft amendments to the Act Governing Relations Between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area (台灣地區與大陸地區人民關係條例) was sponsored by DPP legislators Chen Ting-fei (陳亭妃), Chuang Jui-hsiung (莊瑞雄) and Su Chen-ching (蘇震清), and cosponsored by 16 other DPP lawmakers.
The bill says that no citizen, legal person, public or private corporation, organization registered in Taiwan or other entity should spread political propaganda from the CCP, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) or the People’s Republic of China (PRC) government, or any political institutions or its agents, that would harm national security.
Photo: Tsai Wen-chu, Taipei Times
All such entities are prohibited from making any resolution, statement or joint statement that would negatively affect national security when attending any meetings held by the CCP, PLA or PRC government, it says.
All competent authorities are authorized to summon any person, organization or corporation for questioning should they have a factual basis to suspect them of breaking the law, it says, adding that if necessary, those entities should provide proof to corroborate their statements.
The bill stipulates a jail term of three to 10 years and/or a fine of up to NT$7 million (US$225,501) for contravening the regulations.
If summoned for questioning and the person, organization or corporation fails to attend, remains silent, gives a false statement or refuses to provide proof, they could face cumulative fines of between NT$100,000 and NT$1 million, the bill says.
The DPP lawmakers also proposed draft amendments to the Satellite Broadcasting Act (衛星廣播電視法), the Radio and Television Act (廣播電視法) and the Cable Television Act (有線廣播電視法).
Those amendments say that the government, citizens and affiliated groups of any country that is at war or in a state of armed standoff with Taiwan are barred from conducting business in the broadcasting industry and prohibited from holding the positions of manager, founder, shareholder, president or controller.
Whether a company has been broadcasting misinformation or failing to verify its sources should be a factor when competent authorities review requests to renew permits, the amendments say.
NO-LIMITS PARTNERSHIP: ‘The bottom line’ is that if the US were to have a conflict with China or Russia it would likely open up a second front with the other, a US senator said Beijing and Moscow could cooperate in a conflict over Taiwan, the top US intelligence chief told the US Senate this week. “We see China and Russia, for the first time, exercising together in relation to Taiwan and recognizing that this is a place where China definitely wants Russia to be working with them, and we see no reason why they wouldn’t,” US Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines told a US Senate Committee on Armed Services hearing on Thursday. US Senator Mike Rounds asked Haines about such a potential scenario. He also asked US Defense Intelligence Agency Director Lieutenant General Jeffrey Kruse
INSPIRING: Taiwan has been a model in the Asia-Pacific region with its democratic transition, free and fair elections and open society, the vice president-elect said Taiwan can play a leadership role in the Asia-Pacific region, vice president-elect Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) told a forum in Taipei yesterday, highlighting the nation’s resilience in the face of geopolitical challenges. “Not only can Taiwan help, but Taiwan can lead ... not only can Taiwan play a leadership role, but Taiwan’s leadership is important to the world,” Hsiao told the annual forum hosted by the Center for Asia-Pacific Resilience and Innovation think tank. Hsiao thanked Taiwan’s international friends for their long-term support, citing the example of US President Joe Biden last month signing into law a bill to provide aid to Taiwan,
China’s intrusive and territorial claims in the Indo-Pacific region are “illegal, coercive, aggressive and deceptive,” new US Indo-Pacific Commander Admiral Samuel Paparo said on Friday, adding that he would continue working with allies and partners to keep the area free and open. Paparo made the remarks at a change-of-command ceremony at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Hawaii, where he took over the command from Admiral John Aquilino. “Our world faces a complex problem set in the troubling actions of the People’s Republic of China [PRC] and its rapid buildup of forces. We must be ready to answer the PRC’s increasingly intrusive and
STATE OF THE NATION: The legislature should invite the president to deliver an address every year, the TPP said, adding that Lai should also have to answer legislators’ questions The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) yesterday proposed inviting president-elect William Lai (賴清德) to make a historic first state of the nation address at the legislature following his inauguration on May 20. Lai is expected to face many domestic and international challenges, and should clarify his intended policies with the public’s representatives, KMT caucus secretary-general Hung Meng-kai (洪孟楷) said when making the proposal at a meeting of the legislature’s Procedure Committee. The committee voted to add the item to the agenda for Friday, along with another similar proposal put forward by the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP). The invitation is in line with Article 15-2