People First Party Legislator Chin Huei-chu (秦慧珠) yesterday stepped up her allegation that President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) committed treason, making public what she said was "direct evidence" which "proved" Chen's collusion with China.
The accusation was immediately denied by the Presidential Office while officials at China's Taiwan Affairs Office dismissed Chin's allegation as "nonsense."
The "evidence" released by Chin included nine letters allegedly sent by Chen to Chinese President Jiang Zemin (江澤民) between September 1999 and June 2000; a receipt allegedly issued by Chen in November 1999 acknowledging the acceptance of an NT$140 million campaign contribution from Jiang; and agreements allegedly signed by Chen guaranteeing measures to improve cross-strait relations.
PHOTO: CHU YU-PING, TAIPEI TIMES
Chen's signature and personal seal were found on all the documents, some of which were even original copies.
"I've verified these materials again and again. If they were bogus, would I have dared to ask justice authorities to conduct an investigation into the case?" Chin said, responding to doubts about the documents' authenticity.
Chin said she would take full political and legal responsibilities for her allegations.
Chin declined to disclose her sources, on the grounds that the matter "involves many people's personal safety," including her own.
"Chinese authorities long ago discovered that the documents had been stolen and they arrested many people. They jailed two people and tortured them so they would reveal the whereabouts of the documents," Chin said.
Chin made similar accusations against Chen first in September and again in October.
Chin said she made public the "evidence" to try to prove her previous claim that Chen had received NT$140 million in campaign funds from Jiang as a reward for his promises to improve cross-strait relations.
According to the documents presented by Chin, Chen guaranteed that he would not declare independence during his term; that he would lift the ban on direct cross-strait shipping and trade links six months after his inauguration; and that he would lift the current embargo prohibiting technology industries from investing in China.
In addition, Chen promised that Taiwan would unify with China after 2004, upon which China would continue to support Chen's leadership.
"These acts are tantamount to betraying Taiwan, treason and malfeasance. Chen Shui-bian should step down immediately and undergo investigation by judicial authorities," Chin said.
In response to Chin's accusation yesterday, officials at the Presidential Office said her statements were "absolutely false."
DPP Secretary-General Wu Nai-jen (吳乃仁) said that because China had made clear its "disappointment" at the election of Chen Shui-bian, it was impossible that China could have thrown financial support behind Chen during the presidential campaign.
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)