A prominent adviser to Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji (
The man, known in China as Justin Lin (林毅夫), an economics professor at China's Beijing University, who also advises the World Bank, is thought to have defected to China in 1979 by swimming the 2.3km from the outlying island of Kinmen to the Chinese coast.
Accompanied by DPP lawmaker Chen Chin-teh (陳金德), Lin's older brother Lin Wan-sung (林萬松) called on the government at a news conference yesterday to "let my little brother come home."
Although the former army commander is widely seen as a traitor, another DPP lawmaker, Trong Chai (
Under current regulations, Chinese nationals may apply for an entry permit to visit Taiwan to attend the funerals of family members.
Vice Commissioner of the Bureau of Immigration Fan Te-chu (
He added that Lin's relatives have not yet requested an entry permit for Lin.
Any decision on such an application, however, would involve a number of government ministries, and the Mainland Affairs Council's (MAC's) input would be crucial.
MAC Vice Chairman Chen Ming-tong (
But he said that the government would certainly consider the case out of "humanitarian considerations."
The law obliges the government to consider every application.
Chen said the case was complex and that the MAC will seek legal advice on the matter before making a decision.
Chen made the remarks yesterday while answering questions from lawmakers.
Lin Cheng-yi is widely believed to have defected to China but has always been listed by the military as "missing," allegedly to hide the truth.
Lin had been held up in KMT government propaganda in the mid-1970s as a model patriot for giving up an opportunity to go to university in order to join the army.
Minister of Justice Chen Ding-nan (陳定南) said yesterday that the Statute of Limitations requires that prosecutions for treason be carried out within 20 years of the alleged offense and that prosecutors will act in accordance with the law.
But when pressed by reporters if that meant Lin would be free from prosecution, Chen refused to make such a guarantee.
Under current law, treason is punishable by a minimum prison term of 10 years.
The maximum penalty is death.
Vice Minister of Defense Chen Chao-ming (
CLOSURES: Several forest recreation areas have been closed as a precaution, while some ferry and flight services have been suspended or rescheduled A land warning for Tropical Storm Danas was issued last night at 8:30pm, as the storm’s outer bands began bringing heavy rain to southeastern regions, including Hualien and Taitung counties, and the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春半島), according to the Central Weather Administration (CWA). As of 9:15pm, the storm was approximately 330km west-southwest of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan proper’s southernmost tip, moving north-northeast at 10-20kph, the CWA reported. A sea warning had already been issued at 8:30am yesterday. The storm had maximum sustained winds near its center of 83kph, with gusts of up to 108kph, according to the CWA. As of 9:30pm last night, Kaohsiung, Tainan,
POWERFUL DETERRENT: Precision fire and dispersed deployment of units would allow Taiwanese artillery to inflict heavy casualties in an invasion, a researcher said The nation’s military has boosted its self-defense capability with the establishment of a new company equipped with the US-supplied High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS). The company, part of the army’s 58th Artillery Command, is Taiwan’s first HIMARS unit. Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo (顧立雄), who presided over the formation ceremony in Taichung on Friday, called the unit a significant addition to the nation’s defensive strength, saying it would help deter adversaries from starting a war. The unit is made up of top-performing soldiers who received training in the US, according to the Ministry of National Defense. The HIMARS can be equipped with
UNILATERAL: The move from China’s aviation authority comes despite a previous 2015 agreement that any changes to flight paths would be done by consensus The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) yesterday slammed Beijing for arbitrarily opening the M503 flight route’s W121 connecting path, saying that such unilateral conduct disrespected the consensus between both sides and could destabilize the Taiwan Strait and the wider region. The condemnation came after the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) earlier yesterday announced it “has activated the W121 connecting path of the M503 flight route,” meaning that west-to-east flights are now permitted along the path. The newly activated west-to-east route is intended to “alleviate the pressure caused by the increase of flights,” China’s state-run Xinhua news agency quoted China’s Taiwan Affairs Office
STRONG WINDS: Without the Central Mountain Range as a shield, people should be ready for high-speed winds, CWA weather forecaster Liu Yu-chi said Danas was yesterday upgraded to a typhoon and could grow stronger as it moves closely along the nation’s west coastline, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Hsinchu and Chiayi cities, Taichung, Tainan and Kaohsiung, as well as Hsinchu, Miaoli, Changhua, Yunlin, Nantou, Chiayi, Penghu and Pingtung counties have canceled work and school today. Work and school in Keelung, Taipei, New Taipei City and Taoyuan, and Yilan, Taitung, Hualien, Kinmen and Lienchiang (Matsu) counties would continue as usual, although offices and schools would be closed in Taoyuan’s Luju (蘆竹), Dayuan (大園), Guangyin (觀音) and Sinwu (新屋) districts. As of 5pm yesterday, the typhoon’s
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