A video allegedly featuring retired general Kao An-kuo (高安國) calling on Taiwanese military officers to surrender to China and overthrow the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government has sparked outrage and calls for him to be charged with treason.
The video, titled “A message to Taiwanese military officers,” allegedly shows Kao saying: “I call on commanding officers of our military troops to stand up for Chinese nationalism, to take up this duty under heaven’s mandate to save Taiwanese from oppression and terrible suffering.”
Dressed in military fatigues and a beret, the lieutenant general called on officers to overthrow the “fraudulent DPP regime,” and join forces with other pro-China unification political parties and groups “to achieve the sacred mission of unification of the Chinese race.”
According to military records, Kao graduated from the Military Academy in 1966, served as deputy commander of the Taoyuan-based Sixth Army Command and is a member of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT).
He was one of the few Taiwanese officer candidates to be sent to the US, enrolling at the Fort Benning US Army Infantry School in 1972. After returning to Taiwan, he finished his officer-training program at the National Defense University in 1978.
Media reports showed that Kao had openly advocated for China to annex Taiwan, urged Taiwanese soldiers not to fight should China mount an invasion and participated in the “China Cross-Strait Military Generals Forum” in Xiamen in December 2014.
DPP Legislator Lai Jui-lung (賴瑞隆) yesterday said that Kao’s action amounts to treason, as he openly advocates surrendering to China, which contravenes the National Security Act (國家安全法).
“This video is now circulating on the Internet, working to affect the morale of our military troops and undermine our national security,” Lai said.
“Our judiciary must initiate, investigate and prosecute such an act of treason. Such talks must not be tolerated,” he added. “The justice system and national security agencies must not stand by and do nothing, as if they condone Kao’s treasonous conduct.”
Attorney and former prosecutor Weng Wei-lun (翁偉倫) said Kao could be charged under the Criminal Code for “offenses on inciting persons in armed services not to carry out orders, to desert, or to mutiny,” which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
A preclearance service to facilitate entry for people traveling to select airports in Japan would be available from Thursday next week to Feb. 25 at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, Taoyuan International Airport Corp (TIAC) said on Tuesday. The service was first made available to Taiwanese travelers throughout the winter vacation of 2024 and during the Lunar New Year holiday. In addition to flights to the Japanese cities of Hakodate, Asahikawa, Akita, Sendai, Niigata, Okayama, Takamatsu, Kumamoto and Kagoshima, the service would be available to travelers to Kobe and Oita. The service can be accessed by passengers of 15 flight routes operated by
Chinese spouse and influencer Guan Guan’s (關關) residency permit has been revoked for repeatedly posting pro-China videos that threaten national security, the National Immigration Agency confirmed today. Guan Guan has said many controversial statements in her videos posted to Douyin (抖音), including “the red flag will soon be painted all over Taiwan” and “Taiwan is an inseparable part of China,” and expressing hope for expedited reunification. The agency last year received multiple reports alleging that Guan Guan had advocated for armed reunification. After verifying the reports, the agency last month issued a notice requiring her to appear and explain her actions. Guan
GIVE AND TAKE: Blood demand continues to rise each year, while fewer young donors are available due to the nation’s falling birthrate, a doctor said Blood donors can redeem points earned from donations to obtain limited edition Formosan black bear travel mugs, the Kaohsiung Blood Center said yesterday, as it announced a goal of stocking 20,000 units of blood prior to the Lunar New Year. The last month of the lunar year is National Blood Donation Month, when local centers seek to stockpile blood for use during the Lunar New Year holiday. The blood demand in southern Taiwan — including Tainan and Kaohsiung, as well as Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Taitung counties — is about 2,000 units per day, the center said. The donation campaign aims to boost
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) said a magnitude 4.9 earthquake that struck off the coast of eastern Taiwan yesterday was an independent event and part of a stress-adjustment process. The earthquake occurred at 4:47pm, with its epicenter at sea about 45.4km south of Yilan County Hall at a depth of 5.9km, the CWA said. The quake's intensity, which gauges the actual effects of a temblor, was highest in several townships in Yilan and neighboring Hualien County, where it measured 4 on Taiwan's seven-tier intensity scale, the CWA said. Lin Po-yu (林柏佑), a division chief at the CWA's Seismological Center, told a news conference
RSS