A group of pro-Taiwan independence organizations and politicians from the pan-green camp yesterday denounced the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) for assigning retired lieutenant general and legislator-at-large Wu Sz-huai (吳斯懷) to the Legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee.
They said Wu’s past pro-China talk raises concerns about the security of military secrets.
Wu attracted controversy in 2016 for attending the commemoration of Sun Yat-sen’s (孫逸仙) 150th birthday in China, during which he listened to a speech by Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) and stood as participants sang the Chinese national anthem.
Photo: George Tsorng, Taipei Times
“As a legislator who has a pro-China stance, Wu becoming a member for this committee would lead to irreparable harm to Taiwan,” World United Formosans for Independence chairman Chen Nan-tien (陳南天) said at a protest outside the legislature in Taipei.
“We demand that the KMT caucus halt this move, and that Wu should not serve on this committee,” the group said.
Wu has spoken in Chinese media about how China could wage war against Taiwan and the US, said Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Lin Ching-yi (林靜儀), adding, “We did not hear him criticize China in any form.”
The Taiwan Association of University Professors, Southern Taiwan Society, Taiwan Hakka Society and other organizations denounced the appointment in a joint statement.
“How could the KMT send such a person to scrutinize Taiwan’s national defense budget and policies? Committee members can access top-level military secrets,” they said. “Is this the KMT’s way of assisting China to derail Taiwan’s military modernization programs?”
The KMT caucus on Thursday said Wu was invited to sit on the committee for his military expertise, adding that he can be punished if he contravenes any law in committee proceedings.
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