The Ministry of Interior today said it is to collate evidence that the China Unification Promotion Party (CUPP) has developed organizations and interfered in elections on behalf of China to petition for its formal disbanding.
The party has engaged in organized activities on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) that have infringed on people’s rights and endangered Taiwan’s free and democratic order, the ministry said in a news release.
It accused the CUPP of a range of crimes, including contravening the National Security Act (國家安全法), the Anti-infiltration Act (反滲透法), the Presidential and Vice Presidential Election and Recall Act (總統副總統選舉罷免法) and the Act Governing Relations Between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area (台灣地區與大陸地區人民關係條例).
Photo: CNA
The ministry found eight cases involving 11 people, although from 2010 to this year, various police agencies have found as many as 134 members suspected to have breached the Criminal Code, Social Order Maintenance Act (涉違反刑法) and Organized Crime Prevention Act (組織犯罪防制), with illegal activities ranging from obstruction of justice to human trafficking and homicide, the ministry said.
The comments come only two days after prosecutors brought charges against CUPP members Chang Meng-chung (張孟崇) and his wife, Hung Wen-ting (洪文婷) for allegedly receiving NT$74 million (US$2.3 million) from the CCP to make propaganda promoting its political agenda and influencing Taiwan’s elections.
Although it is legal to form political parties, they should abide by the Constitution and conform to democratic principles, the ministry said, adding that the CUPP’s alleged crimes jeopardize national security, social order and elections’ fairness.
If a party’s purpose or conduct undermines the nation or its free and democratic order, then it is unconstitutional and authorities may request the Constitutional Court to dissolve the party, the ministry said.
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