The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus unveiled an anti-infiltration bill yesterday, proposing that illegal disruption of social order or assemblies under the command or request of “infiltration sources” should be subject to a maximum penalty of seven years in prison and a fine of NT$5 million (US$163,897).
The draft is needed to improve the nation’s legal infrastructure against increasing anti-democratic threats by hostile external forces, the DPP caucus said.
These forces have not backed down in their attempts to annex Taiwan, but have been intensifying the means by which they intend to meddle in elections and rattle social order, it said.
Photo: Chien Jung-fong, Taipei Times
This poses a serious threat to the nation’s sovereignty and democracy, it said.
“Infiltration sources” are defined in the bill as organizations or institutions affiliated with the government, political parties or other political groups of a foreign hostile force, and individuals dispatched by such entities.
A hostile force is defined as a country or group at war with or in a military standoff with Taiwan that upholds the idea of jeopardizing the nation’s sovereignty by non-peaceful means.
The 12-article draft prohibits anyone from making political donations, influencing elections, proposing the recall of government officials or launching public referendums at the instruction or with the financial support of an infiltration source.
It also prohibits lobbying and using illegal means to disrupt social order or jeopardize a public assembly at the instruction or with the financial support of a source of infiltration.
The caucus said it has been working on the bill for some time and that it has nothing to do with claims by self-proclaimed Chinese spy William Wang Liqiang (王立強) that he had been tasked with infiltrating Taiwan and interfering in elections.
“It is the shared duty of the ruling and opposition parties to maintain national security,” DPP caucus whip Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) said, calling on the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) to support the proposal.
Hopefully, it could be passed before the current legislative session ends at the end of next month, Ker said.
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