Taiwanese who accept money from foreign sources to start a political party could undermine national security and contravene anti-infiltration laws, the Ministry of the Interior said yesterday in response to reports that entertainers and celebrities had been solicited to join a political party with alleged Chinese backing.
Singer Alexis Ho (何以奇) and musician Hsieh Ho-hsien (謝和弦) said that they were among the Taiwanese entertainers who received a letter urging them to join a political party allegedly backed by NT$450 million (US$13.9 million) from overseas sources.
The ministry said in a statement that anyone who forms a political party or develops a networking organization at the direction of foreign entities or with financial support from abroad could contravene the National Security Act (國家安全法) or the Anti-Infiltration Act (反滲透法).
Photo: Huang Hsin-po, Taipei Times
The National Security Act prohibits “initiating, funding, hosting, manipulating, directing or developing an organization” for “a foreign country, Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, foreign hostile forces or various organizations, institutions, or groups established or substantially controlled by them,” the ministry said.
It added that under Articles 3 and 4 of the Anti-Infiltration Act, anyone who gives funds or receives donations to engage in elections, recall campaigns or referendums at the instruction or commission of “sources of infiltration” face a maximum prison sentence of five years and a fine of up to NT$10 million.
The ministry urged people to refuse solicitations from China to engage in political activities, which it said would make the participants “pawns in Chinese ‘united front’ tactics against Taiwan,” and also put them at risk of prosecution.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers said it is no secret that Taiwanese entertainers and social media influencers were making money from endorsement deals in China or being paid to promote tourism there or appear on TV shows.
Such entertainers and influencers should be required to inform their viewers about their Chinese sponsors in their YouTube and social media content, DPP Legislator Michelle Lin (林楚茵) said.
“Many of them are traveling to China to produce propaganda, making videos showing how ‘wonderful’ China is, how enjoyable their experiences there are and how safe its cities are. It is because they receive money from their ‘Chinese sugar daddy’ to endorse the country as a commercial product,” Lin said.
She said Taiwanese influencers were essentially being paid to create pro-China content.
“Our government must come up with measures to require influencers to reveal their financing and the sources behind their videos,” she said.
DPP Legislator Lai Jui-lung (賴瑞隆) said that Beijing’s “united front” tactics have permeated the entertainment industry and cultural sectors.
“Through the promise of earning money and access to China’s market, Beijing is attracting Taiwanese entertainers and social media influencers,” Lai said. “Now, China is cultivating these figures to form a political party and to run in local elections in an attempt to alter Taiwan’s political landscape.”
“It is the long-term goal of the Chinese government to reach into and manipulate Taiwan’s political process,” he said. “Agencies in charge of national security must monitor the development and take a pro-active approach. If people are found to have contravened the law, then they must be investigated right way.”
The first two F-16V Bock 70 jets purchased from the US are expected to arrive in Taiwan around Double Ten National Day, which is on Oct. 10, a military source said yesterday. Of the 66 F-16V Block 70 jets purchased from the US, the first completed production in March, the source said, adding that since then three jets have been produced per month. Although there were reports of engine defects, the issue has been resolved, they said. After the jets arrive in Taiwan, they must first pass testing by the air force before they would officially become Taiwan’s property, they said. The air force
The Coast Guard Administration (CGA) yesterday said it had deployed patrol vessels to expel a China Coast Guard ship and a Chinese fishing boat near Pratas Island (Dongsha Island, 東沙群島) in the South China Sea. The China Coast Guard vessel was 28 nautical miles (52km) northeast of Pratas at 6:15am on Thursday, approaching the island’s restricted waters, which extend 24 nautical miles from its shoreline, the CGA’s Dongsha-Nansha Branch said in a statement. The Tainan, a 2,000-tonne cutter, was deployed by the CGA to shadow the Chinese ship, which left the area at 2:39pm on Friday, the statement said. At 6:31pm on Friday,
The Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy’s (PLAN) third aircraft carrier, the Fujian, would pose a steep challenge to Taiwan’s ability to defend itself against a full-scale invasion, a defense expert said yesterday. Institute of National Defense and Security Research analyst Chieh Chung (揭仲) made the comment hours after the PLAN confirmed the carrier recently passed through the Taiwan Strait to conduct “scientific research tests and training missions” in the South China Sea. China has two carriers in operation — the Liaoning and the Shandong — with the Fujian undergoing sea trials. Although the PLAN needs time to train the Fujian’s air wing and
STRIKE: Some travel agencies in Taiwan said that they were aware of the situation in South Korea, and that group tours to the country were proceeding as planned A planned strike by airport personnel in South Korea has not affected group tours to the country from Taiwan, travel agencies said yesterday. They added that they were closely monitoring the situation. Personnel at 15 airports, including Seoul’s Incheon and Gimpo airports, are to go on strike. They announced at a news conference on Tuesday that the strike would begin on Friday next week and continue until the Mid-Autumn Festival next month. Some travel agencies in Taiwan, including Cola Tour, Lion Travel, SET Tour and ezTravel, said that they were aware of the situation in South Korea, and that group
RSS