A former Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) mainland affairs director is to be investigated by the Mainland Affairs Council for allegedly claiming to represent Taiwanese when attending a symposium in China earlier this month that observed the 20th anniversary of the implementation of China’s “Anti-Secession” Law at which he said that the law is “the best medicine for unification,” an official familiar with the matter said yesterday.
The council would investigate if Huang Ching-hsien (黃清賢) contravened the Act Governing Relations Between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area (臺灣地區與大陸地區人民關係條例) by colluding with high-ranking members of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), as well as Chinese military and government officials.
The highest-ranking Chinese official at the symposium held in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on March 14 was National People’s Congress of China Chairman Zhao Leji (趙樂際). Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi (王毅), United Front Work Department head Shi Taifeng (石泰峰), Minister of Public Security Wang Xiaohong (王小洪), Chief of Staff of the Joint Staff Department of the Central Military Commission Liu Zhenli (劉振立), Commander of the Eastern Theater Command of the People’s Liberation Army Lin Xiangyang (林向陽) and other officials also attended.
Photo: Taipei Times
Huang, who serves as director of the Taiwan Political Research Center at Nankai University in Tianjin, China, said that Taiwan’s “unification with the motherland” would be best achieved through peaceful means, which is in line with the fundamental rights and interests of compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.
The “Anti-Secession” Law combats “Taiwanese independence separatists” and would curb their impulses for independence, he said, adding that it authorizes the Chinese government to use non-peaceful means and other measures to prevent secession.
The authorities in Taiwan should consider the rights and welfare of the public and not misjudge the situation, he added.
Photo: Taipei Times
Huang claimed to represent Taiwan at the event that was designed to intimidate Taiwanese, and what he said was used by the CCP as propaganda, the official said.
Huang might have contravened Article 33-1 of the act, which bans people, organizations or other institutions from engaging in any form of cooperative activity with agencies, institutions or organizations in China which are attached to the CCP or the military, or which are involved in political work against Taiwan or affect national security or Taiwan’s interests, the official said.
Huang would be asked to return to Taiwan to explain himself, the official said.
The government would definitely enforce cross-strait regulations since Huang went to the event to support the CCP, the official said.
If Huang has a household registration in China, his Taiwanese ID card would be revoked and he would be asked to leave the country, the official said.
WAITING GAME: The US has so far only offered a ‘best rate tariff,’ which officials assume is about 15 percent, the same as Japan, a person familiar with the matter said Taiwan and the US have completed “technical consultations” regarding tariffs and a finalized rate is expected to be released soon, Executive Yuan spokeswoman Michelle Lee (李慧芝) told a news conference yesterday, as a 90-day pause on US President Donald Trump’s “reciprocal” tariffs is set to expire today. The two countries have reached a “certain degree of consensus” on issues such as tariffs, nontariff trade barriers, trade facilitation, supply chain resilience and economic security, Lee said. They also discussed opportunities for cooperation, investment and procurement, she said. A joint statement is still being negotiated and would be released once the US government has made
NEW GEAR: On top of the new Tien Kung IV air defense missiles, the military is expected to place orders for a new combat vehicle next year for delivery in 2028 Mass production of Tien Kung IV (Sky Bow IV) missiles is expected to start next year, with plans to order 122 pods, the Ministry of National Defense’s (MND) latest list of regulated military material showed. The document said that the armed forces would obtain 46 pods of the air defense missiles next year and 76 pods the year after that. The Tien Kung IV is designed to intercept cruise missiles and ballistic missiles to an altitude of 70km, compared with the 60km maximum altitude achieved by the Missile Segment Enhancement variant of PAC-3 systems. A defense source said yesterday that the number of
Taiwanese exports to the US are to be subject to a 20 percent tariff starting on Thursday next week, according to an executive order signed by US President Donald Trump yesterday. The 20 percent levy was the same as the tariffs imposed on Vietnam, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh by Trump. It was higher than the tariffs imposed on Japan, South Korea and the EU (15 percent), as well as those on the Philippines (19 percent). A Taiwan official with knowledge of the matter said it is a "phased" tariff rate, and negotiations would continue. "Once negotiations conclude, Taiwan will obtain a better
FLOOD RECOVERY: “Post-Typhoon Danas reconstruction special act” is expected to be approved on Thursday, the premier said, adding the flood control in affected areas would be prioritized About 200cm of rainfall fell in parts of southern Taiwan from Monday last week to 9am yesterday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Kaohsiung’s Taoyuan District (桃源) saw total rainfall of 2,205mm, while Pingtung County’s Sandimen Township (三地門) had 2,060.5mm and Tainan’s Nanhua District (南化) 1,833mm, according to CWA data. Meanwhile, Alishan (阿里山) in Chiayi County saw 1,688mm of accumulated rain and Yunlin County’s Caoling (草嶺) had 1,025mm. The Pingtung County Government said that 831 local residents have been pre-emptively evacuated from mountainous areas. A total of 576 are staying with relatives in low-lying areas, while the other 255 are in shelters. CWA forecaster