The Executive Yuan and the Mainland Affairs Council should look into recent actions taken by the Lienchiang County (Matsu) Government to ensure they do not align with China’s “united front” rhetoric, the Control Yuan said yesterday.
A Control Yuan investigation overseen by member Lin Wen-cheng (林文程) highlighted how the county government’s directive to all townships to promote and assist residents in applying for a Fujian-Matsu city pass could aid and abet Chinese “united front” rhetoric.
The card, unveiled in February last year by China’s Fujian Provincial Government, is preloaded with 300 yuan (US$41.07) and aims to encourage Lienchiang residents to travel to Fujian to purchase daily necessities, drawing them economically and socially closer to the Chinese province.
Photo: Lin Che-yuan, Taipei Times
It was evident that the county government lacked sufficient understanding of 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) and that its officials should be better trained, Lin said.
The geographic proximity of Lienchiang County to China should make it more alert to Beijing’s “united front” tactics, he said.
The Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) desire to take over Taiwan has never abated, and it is considered “the enemy,” as per the Criminal Code of the Armed Forces (陸海空軍刑法) and the Anti-infiltration Act (反滲透法), he added.
The pass is a thinly veiled attempt to collect personal information from county residents, he said, adding that the county government has not only failed to implement safeguards, but is actively undermining the safeguards.
County officials’ casual dismissal of concerns regarding the program’s pro-unification and “united front” rhetoric poses a national security concern and should be addressed, Lin said.
The lack of transparency surrounding key details of the pass, including which organization is responsible for its issuance and where it is valid, demonstrates a cavalier attitude, he said.
The report also cited a glaring absence of documented communications between the Lienchiang and Fujian governments due to the use of WeChat for cross-strait exchanges.
The absence of documentation could hinder judicial efforts to determine accountability should disputes arise in the future, he said.
Lin urged the council to discourage Lienchiang County and other outlying island governments from participating in similar programs with China.
The council seems ill-informed about CCP attempts to foster pro-unification sentiment among the outlying islands, Lin said, adding that it should maintain closer communication with the Lienchiang and Kinmen county governments to uphold national sovereignty and dignity.
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