The government is to pursue administrative action against the Ma Ying-jeou Foundation for a comment by a member of a Chinese student delegation congratulating the “China, Taipei” team on winning an international baseball championship, Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) said today.
While in Taiwan on an exchange organized by the foundation, a student from China’s Fudan University on Sunday said the tour group “would like to congratulate the China, Taipei team on their win” last month in the Premier12 baseball championship in Tokyo.
Lawmakers in a meeting of the Internal Administration Committee today asked Chiu whether the comments breach rules set for Chinese visitors to Taiwan.
Photo: Chen Yi-kuan, Taipei Times
The comments that “hurt the feelings of Taiwanese and belittled Taiwan are unacceptable to the people of Taiwan,” Chiu said.
They likely contravened the Regulations on Permission for Entrance of People of the Mainland Area Into the Taiwan Area (大陸地區人民進入臺灣地區許可辦法), he said.
The foundation also appears not to have complied with the agreement signed when it asked for permission to bring the group, which prohibits any political speech or propaganda, he added.
After the group returns to China, Chiu said that the council would pursue administrative sanctions.
The student could face stricter assessments when applying to visit Taiwan in the future, and be barred from entry for one to five years, Chiu said.
As for the foundation, it could be restricted from inviting other groups for six months to five years, depending on the severity of the case, he added.
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