Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Culture and Communications Committee deputy director-general Lee Ming-hsien (李明賢) yesterday panned the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for masking the word “Chinese” in the party’s name on an envelope addressed to the party last week.
Covering the word “clearly had a political connotation of desinicization and was very rude,” he said at a news conference.
“Such disrespectful behavior toward one of the nation’s political parties should be thoroughly investigated by the ministry,” Lee said, adding that the KMT expects a clear explanation from the government.
The envelope contained a thank-you note from a foreign guest to KMT Chairman Wu Den-yih (吳敦義), he said.
Lee said he was not satisfied with the ministry’s explanation that a functionary committed an “operational error,” because the ministry has ready-made stamps bearing the KMT name for correspondence.
It is strange that a functionary would think to alter a stamp that has been in constant use at the ministry, Lee said, adding that the breach in protocol was lamentable.
High-ranking ministry officials on Tuesday apologized over the incident, said a KMT member who requested anonymity, adding that the party is not satisfied with the ministry’s explanations.
“It is unthinkable that someone would stamp the envelope and then mask the word ‘Chinese’ because of a so-called operational error,” the member said. “Does the functionary lack the common knowledge of political parties’ names?”
“Is the ministry trying to pick up where the Ill-gotten Party Assets Settlement Committee left off in destroying the KMT?” the member added.
Asked for comment, the ministry said the mishap was an isolated incident and apologized for any misunderstandings it might have caused.
All of the ministry’s communications to the nation’s political parties or other groups address the recipient organization by its full name, the ministry said.
“We will pay more attention and demand higher standards [of our employees] in the future,” it added.
Additional reporting by CNA
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