The legislature’s Transportation Committee granted preliminary approval to three people nominated to serve in the National Communications Commission (NCC) yesterday, as lawmakers questioned where they stood on the use of telecommunications equipment made in China.
Nominated by the Executive Yuan, the three poeple are National Chengchi University professor Katherine Chen (陳憶寧), NCC secretary-general Wong Po-tsung (翁柏宗) and Commerce Development Research Institute researcher Tu Jenn-hwa (杜震華).
They are to replace commissioners Liu Chorng-jian (劉崇堅) and Wei Shyue-win (魏學文), whose terms expire at the end of July, and fill the position that was vacated by former NCC commissioner Chen Yuan-ling (陳元玲), who resigned abruptly.
Photo: Chang Chia-ming, Taipei Times
The nominees were asked a variety of questions, from reducing the digital gap to fraud committed using telecom services.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers in particular grilled the nominees about their views on recent remarks made by Hon Hai Group chairman Terry Gou (郭台銘).
Ambit Corp, a subsidiary of Hon Hai Group, is an operator that offers fourth-generation (4G) services and is in the process of applying for a license.
Gou demanded an explanation from the NCC as to why the government banned Ambit from using telecommunications equipment produced by Chinese manufacturer Huawei Technologies or he would refuse to pay taxes.
When asked by DPP Legislator Yeh Yi-jin (葉宜津) to comment on Gou’s remarks, Chen first said that the government has yet to make any decision on the matter and later said that she would not approve the use of Chinese equipment if it would generate national security concerns.
Wong and Tu said that they would defer the matter to national security officials. Wong said that the information security risk had increased with the implementation of the 4G system as some base stations do not encrypt signals for transmission.
“The national security issues are beyond the scope of the commission, which regulates the use of telecommunications technology,” Wong said. “We feel that we need to respect the opinions of the national security agencies.”
Tu said that he specializes in the study of industrial economics and would have to consult other commissioners who are telecommunications experts.
“The conflicts over the use of Chinese equipment will continue to occur, and we should find the best solution to the problem. However, the bottom line is to safeguard the nation’s security,” he said.
Yeh said that judging from their responses, Chen had the guts to say what she believes, unlike Tu and Wong.
DPP Legislator Kuan Bi-ling (管碧玲) said that Tu has published an article in a UN journal titled Determinants of Foreign Direct Investment in Taiwan Province of China: a New Approach and Findings, adding that “Taiwan Province of China” was missing in the version Tu submitted to the Legislative Yuan.
She also said that Tu had proposed that Taiwan and China formed a Chinese Federation. She told Tu that he should not let his political positions cloud his judgement.
In response, Tu said that the title was changed by the journal’s editors without his consultation.
The appointments of the three new commissioners must be confirmed by the full legislature.
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