Responding to accusations made by President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) on Tuesday, the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) denied yesterday that it is working with China to influence the results of the upcoming legislative elections.
"President Chen Shui-bian is once again making up stories about China supporting the pan-blue camp. This is his habit during each election cycle," KMT spokesperson Chang Jung-kung (
While campaigning for legislative candidates in Keelung on Tuesday, Chen said that the recent presence of KMT deputy spokeswoman Kuo Su-chuen (郭素春) at a social dinner with Taiwanese businesspeople in Shanghai, China was proof that China was seeking to interfere in the Dec. 11 elections.
In a retaliatory press conference yesterday, Kuo defended herself against the allegations. While both she and her husband, Hung Hsi-yao (洪璽曜), were at the dinner, Kuo said she was there only as a "polite gesture" in the hopes that Taiwanese businesspeople abroad would vote for the KMT.
Chen is inhuman for putting pressure on the KMT for such a little thing, Kuo said yesterday.
In his statement Tuesday night, Chang also criticized Chen as viewing Taiwanese businesspeople in China as "Communist China's puppets."
"Taiwanese businesspeople in China are also Taiwanese citizens with voting rights," said Chang. "It is natural, for these citizens that care about their country, to invite Taiwanese political figures over to explain the political situation to them," Chang added.
Another focal point of KMT retaliation against Chen yesterday were his accusations Tuesday that the KMT was trying to dispose of party assets through former KMT financial director Hsu Li-teh (徐立德), and Chairman Lien Chan's (連戰) son Sean Lien (連勝文). Pointing to discrepancies between estimated value and rumored sale value of KMT-owned companies -- Hua Hsia Investment Holding Co (華夏投資) and Central Investment Holding Co -- Chen said that Sean Lien and Hsu were using a number of capital companies as fronts to launder KMT party assets by making investments in China.
Sean Lien has previously worked for various international investment banks and is currently a vice president at the GE Asia Pacific Capital Technology Fund based out of Hong Kong. He is rumored to have a private fortune of at least NT$2 billion. Hsu is the former finance director of the KMT and vice premier.
While the Hua Hsia Investment Holding Co is valued at over NT$10 billion, Chen said, it is being sold for just NT$8 billion.
KMT Chairman Lien Chan (
"This is ridiculous. Chen is attacking people without providing evidence. Even my family has become the target of his attacks," Lien said yesterday in Taipei while stumping for KMT legislative candidate Justin Chou (周守訓).
Chen should provide evidence of his accusations, if he has any, Lien said.
It was unclear yesterday if Lien was planning to take legal action against Chen.
Taiwan is to commence mass production of the Tien Kung (天弓, “Sky Bow”) III, IV and V missiles by the second quarter of this year if the legislature approves the government’s NT$1.25 trillion (US$39.78 billion) special defense budget, an official said yesterday. Commenting on condition of anonymity, a defense official with knowledge of the matter said that the advanced systems are expected to provide crucial capabilities against ballistic and cruise missiles for the proposed “T-Dome,” an advanced, multi-layered air defense network. The Tien Kung III is an air defense missile with a maximum interception altitude of 35km. The Tien Kung IV and V
The disruption of 941 flights in and out of Taiwan due to China’s large-scale military exercises was no accident, but rather the result of a “quasi-blockade” used to simulate creating the air and sea routes needed for an amphibious landing, a military expert said. The disruptions occurred on Tuesday and lasted about 10 hours as China conducted live-fire drills in the Taiwan Strait. The Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) said the exercises affected 857 international flights and 84 domestic flights, affecting more than 100,000 travelers. Su Tzu-yun (蘇紫雲), a research fellow at the government-sponsored Institute for National Defense and Security Research, said the air
Taiwan lacks effective and cost-efficient armaments to intercept rockets, making the planned “T-Dome” interception system necessary, two experts said on Tuesday. The concerns were raised after China’s military fired two waves of rockets during live-fire drills around Taiwan on Tuesday, part of two-day exercises code-named “Justice Mission 2025.” The first wave involved 17 rockets launched at 9am from Pingtan in China’s Fujian Province, according to Lieutenant General Hsieh Jih-sheng (謝日升) of the Office of the Deputy Chief of the General Staff for Intelligence at the Ministry of National Defense. Those rockets landed 70 nautical miles (129.6km) northeast of Keelung without flying over Taiwan,
A strong continental cold air mass is to bring pollutants to Taiwan from tomorrow, the Ministry of Environment said today, as it issued an “orange” air quality alert for most of the country. All of Taiwan except for Hualien and Taitung counties is to be under an “orange” air quality alert tomorrow, indicating air quality that is unhealthy for sensitive groups. In China, areas from Shandong to Shanghai have been enveloped in haze since Saturday, the ministry said in a news release. Yesterday, hourly concentrations of PM2.5 in these areas ranged from 65 to 160 micrograms per cubic meter (mg/m³), and pollutants were
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