Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers criticized a retired naval officer who showed up in military uniform at a demonstration led by the pan-blue camp Saturday at the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, calling him an opportunist not worthy of respect.
DPP Legislator Chen Chung-hsin (
Liao addressed the crowd posing as an active officer.
He retired from the military in 2001 but was hired shortly thereafter by the Chung Shan Institute of Science and Technology (CSIST) as a civilian engineer.
Liao's appearance at the demonstration in uniform shocked the military, especially the navy and the institute.
The navy plans to file a lawsuit against Liao for pretending to be an active naval officer, while the institute has decided to give a minor demerit to Liao for his behavior.
DPP Legislator Lee Weng-chung (
At yesterday's defense committee meeting, Chen described Liao as an opportunist and said Liao first contacted him two years ago to request a favor.
"Liao wanted me to arrange a meeting with then deputy defense minister Kang Ning-hsiang (康寧祥) and then National Security Council secretary-general Chiou I-jen (邱義仁). He wanted to brief them on a proposal he made on the management of defense technology," Chen said.
"I did not grant him the favor. But he kept calling me. I got over 50 phone calls from him, even during the Lunar New Year vacation. I was not impressed by his report and I did not think Kang and Chiou would like it," he said.
UNILATERAL MOVES: Officials have raised concerns that Beijing could try to exert economic control over Kinmen in a key development plan next year The Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) yesterday said that China has so far failed to provide any information about a new airport expected to open next year that is less than 10km from a Taiwanese airport, raising flight safety concerns. Xiamen Xiangan International Airport is only about 3km at its closest point from the islands in Kinmen County — the scene of on-off fighting during the Cold War — and construction work can be seen and heard clearly from the Taiwan side. In a written statement sent to Reuters, the CAA said that airports close to each other need detailed advanced
Tropical Storm Fung-Wong would likely strengthen into a typhoon later today as it continues moving westward across the Pacific before heading in Taiwan’s direction next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. As of 8am, Fung-Wong was about 2,190km east-southeast of Cape Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, moving westward at 25kph and possibly accelerating to 31kph, CWA data showed. The tropical storm is currently over waters east of the Philippines and still far from Taiwan, CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said, adding that it could likely strengthen into a typhoon later in the day. It is forecast to reach the South China Sea
WEATHER Typhoon forming: CWA A tropical depression is expected to form into a typhoon as early as today, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, adding that the storm’s path remains uncertain. Before the weekend, it would move toward the Philippines, the agency said. Some time around Monday next week, it might reach a turning point, either veering north toward waters east of Taiwan or continuing westward across the Philippines, the CWA said. Meanwhile, the eye of Typhoon Kalmaegi was 1,310km south-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, as of 2am yesterday, it said. The storm is forecast to move through central
UNKNOWN TRAJECTORY: The storm could move in four possible directions, with the fourth option considered the most threatening to Taiwan, meteorologist Lin De-en said A soon-to-be-formed tropical storm east of the Philippines could begin affecting Taiwan on Wednesday next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The storm, to be named Fung-wong (鳳凰), is forecast to approach Taiwan on Tuesday next week and could begin affecting the weather in Taiwan on Wednesday, CWA forecaster Huang En-hung (黃恩鴻) said, adding that its impact might be amplified by the combined effect with the northeast monsoon. As of 2pm yesterday, the system’s center was 2,800km southeast of Oluanbi (鵝鑾鼻). It was moving northwest at 18kph. Meteorologist Lin De-en (林得恩) on Facebook yesterday wrote that the would-be storm is surrounded by
RSS