The National Security Council (NSC) yesterday said the Legislative Yuan’s refusal to pass a motion condemning China’s war games, but demanding the resignation of NSC Secretary-General Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) over the espionage conviction of his former aid, is sending a wrong message to the international community.
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP), which together hold a majority of seats in the legislature, passed a motion demanding that Wu step down, citing “severe damage to national interests” caused by Ho Jen-chieh (何仁傑), who was sentenced for his role in procuring classified documents for China while serving as Wu’s aide during his tenure as minister of foreign affairs in 2023.
The Taipei District Court in September last year handed Ho an eight-year-and-two-month prison sentence and sentenced three others involved in the espionage case. Ho, who remains in detention, said he had done nothing wrong and could still appeal the verdict.
Photo: George Tsorng, Taipei Times
The opposition also cited Wu’s repeated refusal to attend legislative committee meetings, despite lawmakers’ requests, as another reason for the motion, saying it amounted to “evading legislative oversight.”
The motion, proposed by the TPP, was passed with 52 votes in favor and 48 votes against. It carries more symbolic weight than legal force.
Meanwhile, at yesterday’s plenary session, the ruling Democratic Progressive Party proposed an agenda that included a motion to condemn the “Justice Mission 2025” military exercises conducted by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army around Taiwan on Monday and Tuesday, but it was voted down by the opposition.
The NSC said the vote result sends the wrong message to the world and gives China an opportunity to divide Taiwan, carry out cognitive warfare and conduct “united front” infiltration.
The Chinese Communist Party has launched large-scale military exercises near Taiwan and continues to pressure the nation through “gray zone” tactics, using force and coercion to unilaterally alter the “status quo” in the Taiwan Strait, thereby escalating regional security risks, it said, adding that the issue has drawn the attention of the international community, which has expressed its concerns and condemned China’s actions.
At this critical moment, the opposition voted down a proposal to condemn China’s military drills and instead attacked the national security and administrative teams, it said.
This tramples on the efforts of the military and coast guard personnel who are on the front lines defending the country, it added.
The NSC called on all political parties to prioritize national interests and the safety of the public, and to promptly review the national budget and the special defense regulations, stop internal fighting and present a united front to the world so that they could safeguard national sovereignty, democracy, the constitutional system, and peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.
A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck off Yilan at 11:05pm yesterday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The epicenter was located at sea, about 32.3km east of Yilan County Hall, at a depth of 72.8km, CWA data showed There were no immediate reports of damage. The intensity of the quake, which gauges the actual effect of a seismic event, measured 4 in Yilan County area on Taiwan’s seven-tier intensity scale, the data showed. It measured 4 in other parts of eastern, northern and central Taiwan as well as Tainan, and 3 in Kaohsiung and Pingtung County, and 2 in Lienchiang and Penghu counties and 1
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Taiwan is gearing up to celebrate the New Year at events across the country, headlined by the annual countdown and Taipei 101 fireworks display at midnight. Many of the events are to be livesteamed online. See below for lineups and links: Taipei Taipei’s New Year’s Party 2026 is to begin at 7pm and run until 1am, with the theme “Sailing to the Future.” South Korean girl group KARA is headlining the concert at Taipei City Hall Plaza, with additional performances by Amber An (安心亞), Nick Chou (周湯豪), hip-hop trio Nine One One (玖壹壹), Bii (畢書盡), girl group Genblue (幻藍小熊) and more. The festivities are to
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