The Control Yuan yesterday released a list of three former senior officers to be impeached in connection with the navy's purchase of six French Lafayette frigates. The three are former navy commander-in-chief Yeh Chang-tung (
Former premier Hau Pei-tsun (
This newspaper would like to clarify some of the misleading arguments raised in the Hau dispute. Military procurement programs are based on complex, highly specialized political, military, diplomatic and business knowledge. Such decisions involve three kinds of responsibility: political, administrative and legal. Because some procurements can affect national sovereignty, diplomatic relations and military power, they cannot be weighed merely in terms of military and business values. The supreme commander of the armed forces (ie the president) and military commanders must all take responsibility for military policies and answer both to the Legislative Yuan and the public. If they make bad decisions, they should be replaced. Weapon purchases are also an administrative process, in which there are strict bidding and budget procedures to follow. No one should circumvent these procedures -- but if they do, then they should be prepared to face legal action.
The Lafayette-class frigate is far superior to the South Korean Weishan warships in terms of price, capabilities and equipment. The Korean ships also had a record of late deliveries. At the time the purchase was made, Taiwan and South Korea were on the brink of severing diplomatic ties, while France had expressed a willingness to sell ships to Taiwan, despite pressure from Beijing not to do so -- a major diplomatic breakthrough.
The decision to drop the Korean ships in favor of the Lafayettes was a good one. The Control Yuan should respect the military's decision-making power regarding weapons procurement. However, getting the right weapons does not necessarily make a purchase a good one. Taiwan's weapon procurement programs have been frequently criticized for violations of bidding and budget regulations, complicity between officers and arms dealers, and the much-rumored kickbacks and commissions.
The Lafayettes were a good deal even though the decision-making went from the top down instead of from the bottom up. However, the bid-rigging that emerged in the process of the changing policy required administrative decisions that contravened regulations. This is why the three admirals have been impeached -- for negligence. Pursuing criminal responsibility with regard to alleged kickbacks and the murder of navy Captain Yin Ching-feng (尹清楓) is not the remit of the Control Yuan. This has to be left to the special investigation task force now probing those cases.
The impeachment proposal sets a precedent for not violating legal procedures surrounding military purchases. But it is only a beginning. The military still needs stronger internal review and control mechanisms, more professional supervision from the legislature and stricter budget reviews. Only then can we effectively prevent another weapons purchase scandal.
The Chinese government on March 29 sent shock waves through the Tibetan Buddhist community by announcing the untimely death of one of its most revered spiritual figures, Hungkar Dorje Rinpoche. His sudden passing in Vietnam raised widespread suspicion and concern among his followers, who demanded an investigation. International human rights organization Human Rights Watch joined their call and urged a thorough investigation into his death, highlighting the potential involvement of the Chinese government. At just 56 years old, Rinpoche was influential not only as a spiritual leader, but also for his steadfast efforts to preserve and promote Tibetan identity and cultural
The gutting of Voice of America (VOA) and Radio Free Asia (RFA) by US President Donald Trump’s administration poses a serious threat to the global voice of freedom, particularly for those living under authoritarian regimes such as China. The US — hailed as the model of liberal democracy — has the moral responsibility to uphold the values it champions. In undermining these institutions, the US risks diminishing its “soft power,” a pivotal pillar of its global influence. VOA Tibetan and RFA Tibetan played an enormous role in promoting the strong image of the US in and outside Tibet. On VOA Tibetan,
Former minister of culture Lung Ying-tai (龍應台) has long wielded influence through the power of words. Her articles once served as a moral compass for a society in transition. However, as her April 1 guest article in the New York Times, “The Clock Is Ticking for Taiwan,” makes all too clear, even celebrated prose can mislead when romanticism clouds political judgement. Lung crafts a narrative that is less an analysis of Taiwan’s geopolitical reality than an exercise in wistful nostalgia. As political scientists and international relations academics, we believe it is crucial to correct the misconceptions embedded in her article,
Sung Chien-liang (宋建樑), the leader of the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) efforts to recall Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Lee Kun-cheng (李坤城), caused a national outrage and drew diplomatic condemnation on Tuesday after he arrived at the New Taipei City District Prosecutors’ Office dressed in a Nazi uniform. Sung performed a Nazi salute and carried a copy of Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf as he arrived to be questioned over allegations of signature forgery in the recall petition. The KMT’s response to the incident has shown a striking lack of contrition and decency. Rather than apologizing and distancing itself from Sung’s actions,
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