A naval captain that National Security Council Secretary-General Kang Ning-hsiang (
Captain Huang Tsai-tien (黃再添), who works as Kang's secretary, does not meet the qualifications for the rank of rear admiral because he has not completed the required courses at National Defense University, deputy administrative defense minister Lieutenant General Chen Ti-tuan (陳體端) said.
Chen said he did not know whether Huang was on the list of recommended candidates for promotion to rear admiral, or its equivalent of major general, that will be announced on July 1. According to military regulations Huang should not be on the list.
Chen made the remarks yesterday at a meeting of the legislature's National Defense Committee in response to inquiries from an opposition lawmaker.
Kang has reportedly pressed for the promotion for Huang, who served as his office chief when Kang was vice defense minister. President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) has reportedly agreed to the arrangement.
A defense official, who did not want to be named, said Huang and Kang were involved in the investigation of the murder of Captain Yin Ching-feng (尹清楓) and the scandal regarding the purchase of Lafayette frigates from France.
"According to military regulations, Huang is of course not qualified for promotion to rear admiral. But he has now been transferred to the national security system, which has its own set of operations," the official said.
"Council Secretary-General Kang has the authority to recommend the promotion for Huang. But the decision is in the hands of the ministry," he said.
"We do not know whether Chen [Shui-bian] has approved the recommended promotion. But as far as the ministry is concerned, the case is not difficult to solve since there have been many precedents," he said.
The official was referring to several promotions to rear admiral and major general even though the candidates had neither the necessary experience nor the advanced military education.
Taipei has once again made it to the top 100 in Oxford Economics’ Global Cities Index 2025 report, moving up five places from last year to 60. The annual index, which was published last month, evaluated 1,000 of the most populated metropolises based on five indices — economics, human capital, quality of life, environment and governance. New York maintained its top spot this year, placing first in the economics index thanks to the strength of its vibrant financial industry and economic stability. Taipei ranked 263rd in economics, 44th in human capital, 15th in quality of life, 284th for environment and 75th in governance,
The Sports Administration yesterday demanded an apology from the national table tennis association for barring 17-year-old Yeh Yi-tian (葉伊恬) from competing in the upcoming World Table Tennis (WTT) United States Smash tournament in Las Vegas this July. The sports agency said in a statement that the Chinese Taipei Table Tennis Association (CTTTA) must explain to the public why it withdrew Yeh from the WTT tournament in Las Vegas. The sports agency said it contacted the association to express its disapproval of the decision-making process after receiving a complaint from Yeh’s coach, Chuang
Control Yuan Secretary-General Lee Chun-yi (李俊俋) tendered his resignation last night, admitting that he had misused a government vehicle, as reported by media. His resignation was immediately accepted by the Control Yuan. In a statement explaining why he had resigned, Lee apologized for using a Control Yuan vehicle to transport his dog to a pet grooming salon on May 20. The issue first came to light late last month, when TVBS News reported that Lee had instructed his driver to take the dog to the salon. The news channel broadcast photos that it said were taken by an unnamed whistle-blower, which purportedly showed the
A former officer in China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) who witnessed the aftermath of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre has warned that Taiwan could face a similar fate if China attempts to unify the country by force. Li Xiaoming (李曉明), who was deployed to Beijing as a junior officer during the crackdown, said Taiwanese people should study the massacre carefully, because it offers a glimpse of what Beijing is willing to do to suppress dissent. “What happened in Tiananmen Square could happen in Taiwan too,” Li told CNA in a May 22 interview, ahead of the massacre’s 36th anniversary. “If Taiwanese students or
RSS