People First Party (PFP) Secretary-General Chin Chin-sheng (秦金生) yesterday said he was not present at a military parade commemorating the 70th anniversary of the end of the Second Sino-Japanese War — an apparent attempt to distance himself from a controversial China trip.
A public furor has followed the trip by Taiwanese political figures, particularly former vice president Lien Chan (連戰) of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), to Beijing to attend the military parade, with many saying the visit, without any public statements to correct the Chinese on “historical truths,” was the equivalent of capitulating to China.
The PFP has tried to maintain an open channel of communication with China since its members first visited the country in 2005, Chin said, adding that such channels were for the benefit of Taiwan, cross-strait relations and the future of Taiwan’s young people.
Chin said that he was the only representative of the party to visit China, as PFP Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜) felt the event was controversial.
The PFP is respectful of the views of Taiwanese, Chin said, adding that it was for this reason that he excused himself from the parade review on Tiananmen Gate.
“I was not at my seat [on Tiananmen Gate], I was not on the stand; I was absent and my seat remained empty throughout [the parade],” Chin told the media after arriving at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport. “I was resting in the back.”
He added that, to avoid causing embarrassment to organizers, he left the stand on his own.
A lack of sleep on Tuesday due to the noise caused by passing vehicles in preparation for the parade and the heavy heat on Wednesday caused everyone physical discomfort, Chin said, adding that Ruentex Corp chairman Samuel Yin (尹衍樑) also complained of discomfort on Wednesday.
Chin said that former Non-Partisan Solidarity Union legislator Lin Pin-kuan (林炳坤), who was also in the delegation, could attest that Chin was not on the platform to watch the parade.
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