The Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) expelled two of its legislators yesterday, saying that they had been "uncooperative" and failed to follow the party line.
The TSU now has 12 legislators.
TSU Chairman Huang Kun-huei (
PHOTO: CNA
He said the pair could not work with other members toward the party's goals because they did not recognize the party's concepts and were ill-adapted to its fundamental values.
"We feel sorry and upset that the two could not keep pace with the party's progression," he said. "With the legislative elections approaching, we are obliged to tackle the matter and make clear that we will not waver in upholding the party's ideals and following the path."
He said the TSU is an opposition party whose role is to oversee the performance of the government and the party insist on Taiwan-centered consciousness.
The path of the party is to care for the middle class and the disadvantaged, he said, adding that the party is willing to release members who do not identify with such values.
TSU Legislator Lin Jih-jia (
"Their resistance has paralyzed the caucus' operations," Lin said. "I don't know where their hearts lie but apparently they do not lie with the party."
TSU caucus convener Lo Chih-ming (羅志明) said that he was unaware of the content of the motion, but felt the pair deserves a chance to explain themselves.
The party charter stipulates that members who refuse to accept the ruling of the CEC must appeal to the Arbitration Committee within 10 days of receiving the written ruling.
Liao and Huang Chung-yung said yesterday that they were surprised and baffled by the CEC's decision.
"It is like a beggar driving away the caretaker of a temple," Liao said, adding that he would need to better understand the situation before commenting further.
Huang Chung-yung said that he and Liao would hold a news conference today to officially respond.
An increase in Taiwanese boats using China-made automatic identification systems (AIS) could confuse coast guards patrolling waters off Taiwan’s southwest coast and become a loophole in the national security system, sources familiar with the matter said yesterday. Taiwan ADIZ, a Facebook page created by enthusiasts who monitor Chinese military activities in airspace and waters off Taiwan’s southwest coast, on Saturday identified what seemed to be a Chinese cargo container ship near Penghu County. The Coast Guard Administration went to the location after receiving the tip and found that it was a Taiwanese yacht, which had a Chinese AIS installed. Similar instances had also
GOOD DIPLOMACY: The KMT has maintained close contact with representative offices in Taiwan and had extended an invitation to Russia as well, the KMT said The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) would “appropriately handle” the fallout from an invitation it had extended to Russia’s representative to Taipei to attend its international banquet last month, KMT Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) said yesterday. US and EU representatives in Taiwan boycotted the event, and only later agreed to attend after the KMT rescinded its invitation to the Russian representative. The KMT has maintained long-term close contact with all representative offices and embassies in Taiwan, and had extended the invitation as a practice of good diplomacy, Chu said. “Some EU countries have expressed their opinions of Russia, and the KMT respects that,” he
AMENDMENT: Contact with certain individuals in China, Hong Kong and Macau must be reported, and failure to comply could result in a prison sentence, the proposal stated The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) yesterday voted against a proposed bill by Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers that would require elected officials to seek approval before visiting China. DPP Legislator Puma Shen’s (沈伯洋) proposed amendments to the Act Governing Relations Between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area (臺灣地區與大陸地區人民關係條例), stipulate that contact with certain individuals in China, Hong Kong and Macau should be reported, while failure to comply would be punishable by prison sentences of up to three years, alongside a fine of NT$10 million (US$309,041). Fifty-six voted with the TPP in opposition
VIGILANCE: The military is paying close attention to actions that might damage peace and stability in the region, the deputy minister of national defense said The People’s Republic of China (PRC) might consider initiating a hack on Taiwanese networks on May 20, the day of the inauguration ceremony of president-elect William Lai (賴清德), sources familiar with cross-strait issues said. While US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken’s statement of the US expectation “that all sides will conduct themselves with restraint and prudence in the period ahead” would prevent military actions by China, Beijing could still try to sabotage Taiwan’s inauguration ceremony, the source said. China might gain access to the video screens outside of the Presidential Office Building and display embarrassing messages from Beijing, such as congratulating Lai