Three pan-green lawmakers yesterday filed a suit against the country's former WTO representative for violating a revolving-door regulation for civil servants. They also accused him of shamefully compromising the nation's rights in negotiations on the trade mission's title at the WTO.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Huang Wei-cher (
The clause stipulates that a civil servant must wait for three years before assuming any managerial position at a profit-making company if it is relevant to the position the official held before leaving the civil service, and if they occupied this post for at least five years.
Violators are subject to a jail term of up to five years and a fine of up to NT$1 million (US$30,392).
Yen left his position at the WTO mission in May this year and was elected chairman of Fuhwa Financial Holding Co (
The law stipulates that Yen was not allowed to take up the job until May 2008, according to the lawmakers.
Yen approved the establishment of the company in November 2001 in his capacity as finance minister.
Lai yesterday accused Yu of "surrendering the nation's sovereignty under humiliating terms" during his stint as the WTO representative.
Lai, a former top WTO negotiator, said that Yen's submissive attitude resulted in the alteration of the name of the nation's permanent WTO mission and the way Taiwanese diplomats are addressed in the body.
The WTO had not updated its directory since October 2002 because of a row between China and Taiwan over the latter's official title in the body, which is the "Permanent Mission of the Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu."
China had sought in vain to lower Taiwan's status in the WTO to the same as that of Hong Kong and Macau until February 2003, when Yen gave in to pressure from Beijing and then WTO director-general Supachai Panitchpakdi, Lai said.
She said that she and other negotiators had originally successfully rejected China's requests before Taiwan's accession to the WTO.
After six months of agonizing negotiations, Lai said, they managed to thwart China's requests and make the smallest possible adjustment in the wording of accession papers.
Taiwan joined the WTO on Jan. 1, 2002, and in March 2002 the nation successfully obtained diplomatic status for its officials under the titles of minister, counselor and first, second and third secretary, as well as gaining full diplomatic immunity at the WTO.
The names of the Presidential Office and Executive Yuan could also appear in official documents addressed to the WTO.
However, things took a dramatic turn in February 2003 when Supachai collaborated with China to make five changes to Taiwan's official status.
Lai said Yen had recommended that the government accept these requests.
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