Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Liao Wan-ju (廖婉汝) yesterday called off a legislative committee session after Representative to Japan Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) did not attend.
The legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee was four minutes into its session on the future of Taiwan-Japan relations when Liao, its convenor, terminated the proceedings, with Hsieh not in attendance either in person or virtually.
KMT lawmakers had ordered Hsieh to appear at the committee after he sparked controversy with remarks about Japan’s plans to discharge water from the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant.
Photo: Peter Lo, Taipei Times
Liao said that lawmakers had the previous day received a note from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs saying that Hsieh would not attend due to quarantine protocols.
The ministry must inform Hsieh that he is to return to Taiwan by Sunday so he can complete his period of isolation before reporting to the committee when it convenes again on May 24, she said.
The deadline was issued after consultations with the Ministry of Health and Welfare about how much time Hsieh would need, Liao said.
Photo: Screen grab from Facebook
Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) told the committee that Hsieh would be informed, but did not clarify whether Hsieh would return to Taiwan.
Separately yesterday, the KMT legislative caucus accused Hsieh of avoiding lawmakers.
Hsieh’s behavior makes people think that he “is a traitor to the Han people, Taiwan and the country,” KMT Legislator Alex Fai (費鴻泰) told a news conference, adding that he must resign.
Photo: CNA
President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) must apologize for appointing an undeserving person to represent the country, Fai said.
Taiwan is “not some barbarian colony of Japan’s,” he said.
Hsieh on Tuesday wrote on Facebook that he had conducted a two-day tour of Kagoshima
Prefecture, where he met with Kagoshima Governor Koichi Shiota, and attended the signing of a memorandum between Pingtung County and the prefecture.
The flag of the Republic of China put up by local friends of Taiwan could be seen throughout the prefecture and on many fishing boats, Hsieh said before thanking the prefecture’s residents.
“Our national flag is a sensitive object in Japan and people who fly it — including the harbor workers’ union — have been threatened over it,” Hsieh said.
“Their friendship toward Taiwan dispelled their fear, and we are thankful for their passion and spirit,” he said.
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