Political heavyweights gathered yesterday at a ceremony to launch the memoirs of the Reverend Kao Chun-ming (高俊明).
They payed homage to the religious leader and political activist, who has been dubbed "the pride of Taiwan" and "the Apostle Paul of the 20th century."
The ceremony was arranged to coincide with the 21st anniversary of the arrest of Kao, who also attended the ceremony.
PHOTO: GEORGE TSORNG, TAIPEI TIMES
On April 24, 1980, Kao was arrested and subsequently incarcerated for more than four years for offering asylum to former DPP chairman Shih Ming-teh (施明德), then the most-wanted political dissident under the KMT regime.
"I am grateful for what Kao did for me. He put his own life at tremendous risk, lending me a helping hand when I was the most sought-after criminal," Shih said at yesterday's inauguration at the Chinan Church for the book The Path to the Cross: The memoir of the Reverend Kao Chun-ming (十字架之路 -- 高俊明牧師回憶錄).
Former DPP chairman Lin I-hsiung (林義雄), who got acquainted with Kao when they were jailed in adjoining cells, said it was a blessing for him to have been able to get to know such a noble soul in his time of trouble.
"I should call it a `good karma' for me to have been close to a supreme spirit when I was experiencing the toughest time of my life. Even in prison, Kao never ceased his mission to preach Christianity," Lin recalled.
"He comforted the hearts of the inmates by singing us hymns and reading us the Gospels. His firm convictions -- which surpassed hardship, overrode misery and penetrated thick walls -- soothed our wounded spirits."
Kao, Shih and Lin were targeted for their involvement in the Kao--hsiung Incident (美麗島事件).
The incident, which occurred on Dec. 10 1979, was a state crackdown after an anti-government parade organized by Formosa magazine -- a front for a broad alliance of the so-called "tang wai" (黨外), or "outside the party," activists.
Kao, former director-general of the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan and now a senior advisor to President Chen Shui-bian (
Having published three declarations in 1970, 1975 and 1979 calling for Taiwan's independence and democracy, Kao explained the motives for his involvement in the democracy movement, aiming to brush aside allegations that his church was "politically ambitious."
"It is out of religious conscience and love of Taiwan's people that the Presbyterian Church is so concerned about politics. There are no so-called political aspirations," he said.
In 1980 Kao was apprehended and imprisoned because he provided assistance to Shih. However, Kao said he never had any regrets for having done so, and it was during that time that he says he felt even closer to God.
"I had no regrets at all for what I did in the past, and I feel honored for being jailed because of my love for Taiwan," Kao told the media yesterday.
He said he had voraciously read the Bible when he was jailed and, consequently, got to understand the truth of the gospels of Christianity.
"I feel grateful because it was during this time that I felt I got to know God better," he added.
CALL FOR SUPPORT: President William Lai called on lawmakers across party lines to ensure the livelihood of Taiwanese and that national security is protected President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday called for bipartisan support for Taiwan’s investment in self-defense capabilities at the christening and launch of two coast guard vessels at CSBC Corp, Taiwan’s (台灣國際造船) shipyard in Kaohsiung. The Taipei (台北) is the fourth and final ship of the Chiayi-class offshore patrol vessels, and the Siraya (西拉雅) is the Coast Guard Administration’s (CGA) first-ever ocean patrol vessel, the government said. The Taipei is the fourth and final ship of the Chiayi-class offshore patrol vessels with a displacement of about 4,000 tonnes, Lai said. This ship class was ordered as a result of former president Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) 2018
‘SECRETS’: While saying China would not attack during his presidency, Donald Trump declined to say how Washington would respond if Beijing were to take military action US President Donald Trump said that China would not take military action against Taiwan while he is president, as the Chinese leaders “know the consequences.” Trump made the statement during an interview on CBS’ 60 Minutes program that aired on Sunday, a few days after his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) in South Korea. “He [Xi] has openly said, and his people have openly said at meetings, ‘we would never do anything while President Trump is president,’ because they know the consequences,” Trump said in the interview. However, he repeatedly declined to say exactly how Washington would respond in
WARFARE: All sectors of society should recognize, unite, and collectively resist and condemn Beijing’s cross-border suppression, MAC Minister Chiu Chui-cheng said The number of Taiwanese detained because of legal affairs by Chinese authorities has tripled this year, as Beijing intensified its intimidation and division of Taiwanese by combining lawfare and cognitive warfare, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said yesterday. MAC Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) made the statement in response to questions by Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Puma Shen (沈柏洋) about the government’s response to counter Chinese public opinion warfare, lawfare and psychological warfare. Shen said he is also being investigated by China for promoting “Taiwanese independence.” He was referring to a report published on Tuesday last week by China’s state-run Xinhua news agency,
‘ADDITIONAL CONDITION’: Taiwan will work with like-minded countries to protect its right to participate in next year’s meeting, the foreign ministry said The US will “continue to press China for security arrangements and protocols that safeguard all participants when attending APEC meetings in China,” a US Department of State spokesperson said yesterday, after Beijing suggested that members must adhere to its “one China principle” to participate. “The United States insists on the full and equal participation of all APEC member economies — including Taiwan — consistent with APEC’s guidelines, rules and established practice, as affirmed by China in its offer to host in 2026,” the unnamed spokesperson said in response to media queries about China putting a “one China” principle condition on Taiwan’s
RSS