Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) Chairman Huang Kun-huei (黃昆輝) yesterday warned the public not to be fooled by what he called sweet words from China’s Taiwan Affairs Office Minister Zhang Zhijun (張志軍) on his current visit, because his behavior is a charade, obscuring China’s expansion of weapons deployment and intensifying military threat.
In describing Zhang, Huang employed an ancient Chinese aphorism that says: “He smiles and speaks words sweet as honey, but carries a dagger with murderous intent in his heart (笑裡藏刀, 口蜜腹劍).”
Huang characterized Zhang’s visit as a charade, a show staged to defraud Taiwanese.
Photo: Liao Chen-huei, Taipei Times
“Zhang said he wants to talk to and hear the concerns of Taiwanese in the central and southern regions, the small and medium-sized enterprises, young students, and medium-to-low-income people. However, in reality, he met only with and listened to the China-friendly Taiwanese conglomerates, companies with Chinese financial backing, Chinese students, and Chinese spouses married to Taiwanese,” Huang said.
“President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) kept on trumpeting on improved cross-strait relationship. It is a big deception. Zhang’s visit to Taiwan is putting on a charm offensive, but it is just a put-on.”
“According to military reports, China had 700 old and aging MiG fighter planes in place for offensive threat against Taiwan back in 2005. They have made many upgrades since then; now China can deploy 330 of the newest and most advanced fighter jets against Taiwan,” he said.
“China has one-third of its military personnel and bases deployed at the three military regions facing across the Strait from Taiwan. They also have military special operation units, which have been modernized with new equipment and outfitted with the most advanced weaponry. These units are capable of penetrating deep inside Taiwan to destroy our important infrastructure and main utilities,” he said.
Besides weapons deployment, Taiwan must also deal with China’s information warfare, Huang said, adding that during the recent Hong Kong referendum on democratic reform, Apple Daily newspapers came under coordinated attacks by Chinese hackers, who also hit a number of Taiwanese Web sites.
Huang said Taiwanese should heed the warning by former US Secretary State Hillary Clinton, when recently she said that too much economic dependence on China will make Taiwan vulnerable.
“If our economy is too dependent on China, there will be no end to the political blackmail by China. They have toned down on public statements on military threats to take over Taiwan, but have kept on expanding their weapons program and upgrading their military capability,” he said.
He said “Taiwanese people must not be duped.”
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