Government officials aren't aware of any Taiwanese businessmen who have signed up with the Communist Party of China, Chen Ruey-rong (
According to Chen, the Communist Party of China remains an illegal organization in Taiwan. Any Taiwanese businessman joining the organization in China would be violating the law.
"Those who violate the Statute Governing Relations Between the People on the Two Sides of the Taiwan Strait by joining the party will have to pay a fine of between NT$100,000 and NT$500,000," Chen said.
Chen said Chinese authorities should focus more on protecting the interests of Taiwanese businessmen instead of trying to indoctrinate them.
The vice minister's comments followed reports that Chinese workers at Foxconn, a subsidiary of Hon Hai Precision Industry Co (鴻海精密), have set up a communist cell within the Taiwanese company.
Chen said yesterday that membership of the cell was limited to just Chinese, and he wasn't aware of any Taiwanese joining the group.
Chen made the remarks in the legislature yesterday, responding to questions from DPP legislator Chiu Chui-chen (
On Wednesday, Chiu raised concerns about the new communist cell at Shenzhen-based Foxconn.
The DPP lawmaker also claimed yesterday that some other Taiwanese firms such as Formosa Plastics (台塑) and President Enterprises Corp (統一企業) have communist cells at their operations in China.
Chiu said infiltration by the communist cells poses a threat to national security.
Formosa Plastics and President Enterprises have denied that communist cells have been set up at their China operations.
A spokesperson for President Enterprises said the company had no specific rule requiring its Chinese employees to be a member of any political party.
In related news, Mainland Affairs Council Chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said yesterday that China's interference in Taiwanese business operations was not acceptable.
Tsai said the government respects freedom of speech and assembly, which are protected by the Constitution.
But she also said that Taiwanese businessmen should take national security into account. Tsai said the government would consider punishing any Taiwanese businessmen who join the Communist Party of China.
In addition, companies that set up communist party cells at their China operations would have their cross-strait investment applications closely scrutinized.
A Hon Hai spokesperson said its workers should be allowed to organize as they wish.
"The communist cell is needed to better serve party members working at the company," the spokesperson said.
Hon Hai is Taiwan's largest maker of personal computer connectors and cases. Foxconn, one of its branch companies, was established in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, in 1988 with a workforce of 38,000 people.
The Foxconn cell consists of 144 communist party members who are also the company's employees. All of the 144 members are Chinese citizens.
EXPRESSING GRATITUDE: Without its Taiwanese partners which are ‘working around the clock,’ Nvidia could not meet AI demand, CEO Jensen Huang said Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) and US-based artificial intelligence (AI) chip designer Nvidia Corp have partnered with each other on silicon photonics development, Nvidia founder and CEO Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) said. Speaking with reporters after he met with TSMC chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家) in Taipei on Friday, Huang said his company was working with the world’s largest contract chipmaker on silicon photonics, but admitted it was unlikely for the cooperation to yield results any time soon, and both sides would need several years to achieve concrete outcomes. To have a stake in the silicon photonics supply chain, TSMC and
SILICON VALLEY HUB: The office would showcase Taiwan’s strengths in semiconductors and artificial intelligence, and help Taiwanese start-ups connect with global opportunities Taiwan has established an office in Palo Alto, one of the principal cities of Silicon Valley in California, aimed at helping Taiwanese technology start-ups gain global visibility, the National Development Council said yesterday. The “Startup Island Taiwan Silicon Valley hub” at No. 299 California Avenue is focused on “supporting start-ups and innovators by providing professional consulting, co-working spaces, and community platforms,” the council said in a post on its Web site. The office is the second overseas start-up hub established by the council, after a similar site was set up in Tokyo in September last year. Representatives from Taiwanese start-ups, local businesses and
‘DETERRENT’: US national security adviser-designate Mike Waltz said that he wants to speed up deliveries of weapons purchased by Taiwan to deter threats from China US president-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for US secretary of defense, Pete Hegseth, affirmed his commitment to peace in the Taiwan Strait during his confirmation hearing in Washington on Tuesday. Hegseth called China “the most comprehensive and serious challenge to US national security” and said that he would aim to limit Beijing’s expansion in the Indo-Pacific region, Voice of America reported. He would also adhere to long-standing policies to prevent miscalculations, Hegseth added. The US Senate Armed Services Committee hearing was the first for a nominee of Trump’s incoming Cabinet, and questions mostly focused on whether he was fit for the
SHARED VALUES: The US, Taiwan and other allies hope to maintain the cross-strait ‘status quo’ to foster regional prosperity and growth, the former US vice president said Former US vice president Mike Pence yesterday vowed to continue to support US-Taiwan relations, and to defend the security and interests of both countries and the free world. At a meeting with President William Lai (賴清德) at the Presidential Office in Taipei, Pence said that the US and Taiwan enjoy strong and continued friendship based on the shared values of freedom, the rule of law and respect for human rights. Such foundations exceed limitations imposed by geography and culture, said Pence, who is visiting Taiwan for the first time. The US and Taiwan have shared interests, and Americans are increasingly concerned about China’s
RSS