Both the Ministry of National Defense and the National Security Bureau (NSB) yesterday dismissed as a “media allegation” a report published by a local media outlet saying that a former director of Taiwan’s defense mission in the US, Major General Li Hsien-sheng (黎賢聖), had close ties to a female Chinese agent, leading to suspicions that sensitive information about the nation’s US weapons procurement program had been leaked to China.
The Chinese-language Apple Daily yesterday reported that an investigation by the bureau suggested that the 51-year-old Li, who is married and has two children, is suspected of carrying on an extra-marital affair with a Chinese woman during his stint in the US.
A US intelligence agency became aware of the situation and put the couple under surveillance to track their activities, as intelligence agents knew that the Chinese woman was conducting espionage missions in the US, according to the Apple Daily.
Local media speculated on the possibility of Taiwan’s national security being compromised as Li, as the head of Taiwan’s defense mission in Washington at the time, was in charge of liaising with his US counterparts on a number of major weapons procurement programs.
By virtue of his position as director of the defense mission, Li was responsible for negotiating with the US military on upgrades to F16A/B jets, the proposed sale of Patriot Advanced Capability-3 missiles to Taiwan, the nation’s purchase of a long-range early warning radar system and other major arms deals.
Li was removed from his post after he failed a lie detector test in May this year.
Local media reported that Li subsequently failed follow-up polygraph tests conducted by the NSB and the Military Intelligence Bureau at least five times.
NSB Director-General Lee Hsiang-chou (李翔宙) yesterday confirmed that the bureau was involved in an inquiry into Li’s case.
“But no detail can be divulged, because it is an ongoing investigation. We hope people can wait for the outcome of the investigation and the judicial ruling. This case must be treated with care and prudence. It should not be reported on based on conjecture and chasing shadows in the dark,” Lee said.
Defense Ministry spokesman Major General David Lo (羅紹和) said no evidence has been found that indicates Li had betrayed his country and passed military secrets on to China.
He dismissed the Apple Daily report as over-dramatic and containing speculations, which may mislead the public.
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫), spokeswoman Yang Chih-yu (楊智伃) and Legislator Hsieh Lung-chieh (謝龍介) would be summoned by police for questioning for leading an illegal assembly on Thursday evening last week, Minister of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang (劉世芳) said today. The three KMT officials led an assembly outside the Taipei City Prosecutors’ Office, a restricted area where public assembly is not allowed, protesting the questioning of several KMT staff and searches of KMT headquarters and offices in a recall petition forgery case. Chu, Yang and Hsieh are all suspected of contravening the Assembly and Parade Act (集會遊行法) by holding
PRAISE: Japanese visitor Takashi Kubota said the Taiwanese temple architecture images showcased in the AI Art Gallery were the most impressive displays he saw Taiwan does not have an official pavilion at the World Expo in Osaka, Japan, because of its diplomatic predicament, but the government-backed Tech World pavilion is drawing interest with its unique recreations of works by Taiwanese artists. The pavilion features an artificial intelligence (AI)-based art gallery showcasing works of famous Taiwanese artists from the Japanese colonial period using innovative technologies. Among its main simulated displays are Eastern gouache paintings by Chen Chin (陳進), Lin Yu-shan (林玉山) and Kuo Hsueh-hu (郭雪湖), who were the three young Taiwanese painters selected for the East Asian Painting exhibition in 1927. Gouache is a water-based
Taiwan would welcome the return of Honduras as a diplomatic ally if its next president decides to make such a move, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said yesterday. “Of course, we would welcome Honduras if they want to restore diplomatic ties with Taiwan after their elections,” Lin said at a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, when asked to comment on statements made by two of the three Honduran presidential candidates during the presidential campaign in the Central American country. Taiwan is paying close attention to the region as a whole in the wake of a
OFF-TARGET: More than 30,000 participants were expected to take part in the Games next month, but only 6,550 foreign and 19,400 Taiwanese athletes have registered Taipei city councilors yesterday blasted the organizers of next month’s World Masters Games over sudden timetable and venue changes, which they said have caused thousands of participants to back out of the international sporting event, among other organizational issues. They also cited visa delays and political interference by China as reasons many foreign athletes are requesting refunds for the event, to be held from May 17 to 30. Jointly organized by the Taipei and New Taipei City governments, the games have been rocked by numerous controversies since preparations began in 2020. Taipei City Councilor Lin Yen-feng (林延鳳) said yesterday that new measures by