The Ministry of National Defense yesterday said it has reminded retired officers to be careful with their words, after former navy lieutenant commander Lu Li-shih (呂禮詩) said he hoped to show Taiwanese “how strong China is” while attending China’s Zhuhai Airshow.
While Lu’s remarks might have been his personal opinion, retired military personnel should exercise judgement when making public statements and avoid damaging the nation’s dignity, the ministry said.
Lu cannot be punished under the Act Governing Relations Between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area (臺灣地區與大陸地區人民關係條例), because he did not retire as a general, so his pension cannot be suspended nor his awards revoked.
Photo from China News Service’s video channel
The ministry said it has asked retired service members of all ranks to refrain from participating in activities hosted by Chinese authorities and that it has sought to strengthen patriotic education within its ranks.
Retired generals who act in ways harmful to Taiwan’s national dignity can face punishment, the ministry said, citing the case of retired general Tsang You-hsia (臧幼俠) last month. Tsang’s pension was reduced by 75 percent for the next five years after he was found guilty of standing at attention during the Chinese national anthem at a pro-unification event in Hong Kong.
The Chinese Communist Party often uses military displays of strength, and there has been increasing international concern about the threat that it poses, National Security Bureau Director-General Tsai Ming-yen (蔡明彥) said.
Vessels from nine countries have transited the Taiwan Strait to defend freedom of navigation, he said, adding that there has been growing international support for countermeasures against China.
Lu’s statement showed a misunderstanding of the geopolitical situation, Democratic Progressive Party China affairs department head Wu Jun-zhi (吳峻鋕) said.
China’s military strength is a significant threat to regional security and world peace, and Lu’s belief that it is beneficial or acts as a protection for Taiwan is a major misconception, Wu said.
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