People First Party Legislator Chin Huei-chu (秦慧珠) made public yesterday more "evidence" to back up her allegation that President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) was in cahoots with China, despite open questioning of her sanity by colleagues.
After accusing Chen of accepting an NT$140 million campaign contribution from Chinese President Jiang Zemin (
According to Chin, who based her allegation on a pile of documents that she claimed had been verified again and again, Jiang had offered Chen a 5 percent share of three US-China-backed semiconductor fabs. In addition, the Chinese president offered Chen another 5 percent share of a petrochemical complex that the Formosa Plastics Group (
In another part of the story, Chin also said that two people arrested by Chinese authorities for stealing the secret documents had been killed on Tuesday, the first day she made public these materials.
Officials at the Presidential Office, who have denied Chin's allegations before, yesterday said the charges deserve no attention at all.
"Her [Chin's] remarks are so illogical that not even high school students will believe in it," said Yu Shyi-kun, secretary-general to the Presidential Office.
Some DPP politicians said Chin has "lost her mind."
"I think she is sick in a very serious way," DPP Legislator Tsai Huang-liang (
Chin yesterday insisted that all the documents -- including letters allegedly sent by Chen to Jiang, a receipt and agreements signed between them -- were authentic.
"Some high-ranking officials at investigation agencies have told me in private that the materials are all authentic. But they dare not take any action, because it is the head of state whom they are facing," Chin said.
Chin said she had also checked with national security agencies, and was told that they do not conduct surveillance on the president.
"The president is the most powerful leader in the country who controls the executive, judicial and intelligence system. No law will reach the president under these circumstances," Chin argued.
Chin compared this case to another one in which former president Lee Teng-hui (
"If the KMT and the communists had not admitted it, the media would have had no idea as to what to believe. The key factor is whether the people in power are willing to admit it," Chin said.
On public doubts as to why China would opt to support a presidential candidate from the pro-independence DPP in the first place, Chin said this was because of the strong recommendation of Formosa Chairman Wang Yung-ching (王永慶) and his son, Winston Wang (王文洋).
"But up until today, Chinese authorities don't trust Chen 100 percent. This was also the reason why they kept making Chen sign agreements and guarantee documents, which have become tools to secure their control over Chen," Chin said.
Chin has alleged that the father and son had acted as secret cross-strait envoys for Chen. Winston Wang has filed slander charges against Chin over the allegation.
NEXT GENERATION: The four plants in the Central Taiwan Science Park, designated Fab 25, would consist of four 1.4-nanometer wafer manufacturing plants, TSMC said Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) plans to begin construction of four new plants later this year, with the aim to officially launch production of 2-nanometer semiconductor wafers by late 2028, Central Taiwan Science Park Bureau director-general Hsu Maw-shin (許茂新) said. Hsu made the announcement at an event on Friday evening celebrating the Central Taiwan Science Park’s 22nd anniversary. The second phase of the park’s expansion would commence with the initial construction of water detention ponds and other structures aimed at soil and water conservation, Hsu said. TSMC has officially leased the land, with the Central Taiwan Science Park having handed over the
AUKUS: The Australian Ambassador to the US said his country is working with the Pentagon and he is confident that submarine issues will be resolved Australian Ambassador to the US Kevin Rudd on Friday said that if Taiwan were to fall to China’s occupation, it would unleash China’s military capacities and capabilities more broadly. He also said his country is working with the Pentagon on the US Department of Defense’s review of the AUKUS submarine project and is confident that all issues raised will be resolved. Rudd, who served as Australian prime minister from 2007 to 2010 and for three months in 2013, made the remarks at the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado and stressed the longstanding US-Australia alliance and his close relationship with the US Undersecretary
‘WORLD WAR III’: Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene said the aid would inflame tensions, but her amendment was rejected 421 votes against six The US House of Representatives on Friday passed the Department of Defense Appropriations Act for fiscal 2026, which includes US$500 million for Taiwan. The bill, which totals US$831.5 billion in discretionary spending, passed in a 221-209 vote. According to the bill, the funds for Taiwan would be administered by the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency and would remain available through Sept. 30, 2027, for the Taiwan Security Cooperation Initiative. The legislation authorizes the US Secretary of Defense, with the agreement of the US Secretary of State, to use the funds to assist Taiwan in procuring defense articles and services, and military training. Republican Representative
TAIWAN IS TAIWAN: US Representative Tom Tiffany said the amendment was not controversial, as ‘Taiwan is not — nor has it ever been — part of Communist China’ The US House of Representatives on Friday passed an amendment banning the US Department of Defense from creating, buying or displaying any map that shows Taiwan as part of the People’s Republic of China (PRC). The “Honest Maps” amendment was approved in a voice vote on Friday as part of the Department of Defense Appropriations Act for the 2026 fiscal year. The amendment prohibits using any funds from the act to create, buy or display maps that show Taiwan, Kinmen, Matsu, Penghu, Wuciou (烏坵), Green Island (綠島) or Orchid Island (Lanyu, 蘭嶼) as part of the PRC. The act includes US$831.5 billion in
RSS