The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus is ready to unveil a draft anti-infiltration law today, caucus whip Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) said yesterday, adding that the goal is to have the bill clear a second reading on Friday.
Concerns about Beijing’s attempts to annex Taiwan and reports about a self-confessed Chinese spy saying that he had been tasked with influencing elections in Taiwan show that an anti-infiltration law is needed, Ker said.
Following discussions with the Ministry of Justice, Mainland Affairs Council and Executive Yuan, the DPP on Friday devised the core of the bill and would reveal its details at a news conference today, he said.
Photo: Chien Jung-fong, Taipei Times
The bill would be submitted to the legislature’s Procedure Committee for review tomorrow, he added.
On Thursday, the legislature’s Internal Administration Committee is to hold a public hearing on a series of proposed draft amendments to crack down on Chinese proxies promoting Beijing’s interests in Taiwan, Ker said.
The hearing would provide an opportunity to exchange opinions on the anti-infiltration bill before legislators meet on Friday for its second reading, he said.
On whether the bill could clear a third reading before the end of the legislative session, Ker said it depends on “the attitude of opposition parties.”
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus whip William Tseng (曾銘宗) said his caucus would determine its stance on the bill after reading the document.
The KMT would consider whether the bill is indeed necessary to ensure national security and stability, he added.
The bill would ban people from lobbying for a political cause, making political donations, interfering with assemblies, undermining social order or engaging in other activities that could influence local elections and referendums based on instructions, or using funds, from a foreign state or organization.
Those found guilty of influencing elections in such manners could be sentenced to up to seven years in prison in addition to a fine of up to NT$5 million (US$163,843), according to the bill.
If an organization is found guilty, the person in charge would be held responsible, it states.
Although a number of laws — including the Political Donations Act (政治獻金法), the Referendum Act (公民投票法), the Lobbying Act (遊說法) and the Civil Servants Election and Recall Act (公職人員選舉罷免法) — already ban such activities, the proposed bill would increase the punishments.
While the New Power Party (NPP) has accused the DPP of deliberately setting aside the bill and related proposed amendments, DPP lawmakers have been working on them since the end of May, Ker said.
On Nov. 16, Ker said that bills to crack down on Chinese Communist Party proxies would not pass a third reading during the current legislative session due to the limited time remaining.
Ker yesterday said there are eight versions of similar bills proposed by the DPP caucus, NPP caucus and a number of DPP legislators.
Incorporating different versions could be difficult and the DPP caucus has been pondering how to best approach the issue, he said.
WARNING: People in coastal areas need to beware of heavy swells and strong winds, and those in mountainous areas should brace for heavy rain, the CWA said The Central Weather Administration (CWA) yesterday issued sea and land warnings for Typhoon Ragasa, forecasting that it would continue to intensify and affect the nation the most today and tomorrow. People in Hualien and Taitung counties, and mountainous areas in Yilan and Pingtung counties, should brace for damage caused by extremely heavy rain brought by the typhoon’s outer rim, as it was upgraded to a super typhoon yesterday morning, the CWA said. As of 5:30pm yesterday, the storm’s center was about 630km southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost tip, moving northwest at 21kph, and its maximum wind speed had reached
MATAIAN RIVER: Rescue operations were ongoing, with officials urging residents to move to higher floors where possible as teams focus first on those at ground level Floodwaters from the overflowing Mataian River (馬太鞍溪) barrier lake swept into Hualien County’s Guangfu Township (光復) yesterday afternoon, leaving hundreds of people trapped and three missing as of press time last night, the Hualien County Fire Bureau said. The waters surged into downtown Guangfu after the riverbank burst at about 2:50pm, carrying mud and debris and submerging streets to rooftop level in some areas. Residents were seen climbing onto vehicles and rooftops to await rescue as thick, silt-laden water inundated the town. The surge destroyed the Mataian Bridge (馬太鞍溪橋) and flooded the Guangfu Railway Station. Rescue operations were launched with support from fire departments
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) yesterday said that it expected to issue a sea warning for Typhoon Ragasa this morning and a land warning at night as it approached Taiwan. Ragasa intensified from a tropical storm into a typhoon at 8am yesterday, the CWA said, adding that at 2pm, it was about 1,110km east-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost tip. The typhoon was moving northwest at 13kph, with sustained winds of up to 119kph and gusts reaching 155kph, the CWA Web site showed. Forecaster Liu Pei-teng (劉沛滕) said that Ragasa was projected to strengthen as it neared the Bashi Channel, with its 200km
PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENTS: Hualien and Taitung counties declared today a typhoon day, while schools and offices in parts of Kaohsiung and Pingtung counties are also to close Typhoon Ragasa was forecast to hit its peak strength and come closest to Taiwan from yesterday afternoon through today, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Taiwan proper could be out of the typhoon’s radius by midday and the sea warning might be lifted tonight, it added. CWA senior weather specialist Wu Wan-hua (伍婉華) said that Ragasa’s radius had reached the Hengchun Peninsula by 11am yesterday and was expected to hit Taitung County and Kaohsiung by yesterday evening. Ragasa was forecast to move to Taiwan’s southern offshore areas last night and to its southwestern offshore areas early today, she added. As of 8pm last night,
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