Tue, Dec 10, 2024 page3

• Ma Ying-jeou Foundation to be penalized: source

  • By Chen Yu-fu and Esme Yeh / Staff reporter, with staff writer
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  The government would impose an administrative penalty on the Ma Ying-jeou Foundation following foundation chief executive Hsiao Hsu-tsen’s (蕭旭岑) “one China” remarks last week, a source said yesterday.

  A Chinese student delegation visited Taiwan from Nov. 27 to Thursday last week. The delegation, comprising 40 students including Chinese table tennis champion Ma Long (馬龍), was invited to Taiwan by the foundation to participate in cross-strait exchanges.

  Song Siyao (宋思瑤), a Fudan University student, on Dec. 1 referred to Team Taiwan as “China, Taipei” as she congratulated them for their victory in the WBSC Premier12.

  

  Ma Ying-jeou Foundation chief executive Hsiao Hsu-tsen speaks to reporters in Taipei in an undated photograph.

  Photo: Lin Hsin-han, Taipei Times

  She also said the group hopes that “mainland China and Taiwan compatriots can be like the team Chinatrust Brothers and work together for the motherland to take baseball to a higher level.”

  Hsiao has said Song’s reference to “China Taipei” could be replaced with “China Taiwan” given that “the Zhonghua Minguo Taiwan (中華民國台灣) used by former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) and President William Lai (賴清德) is same as ’China Taiwan’ because Zhonghua Minguo (中華民國, the Republic of China) is Zhongguo (中國, China).”

  A source yesterday on condition of anonymity said that a political campaign for “one China” during cross-strait exchanges could contravene Paragraph 1, Article 16 of 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).

  The authorities may ban the wrongdoers from cross-strait exchanges for half a year to five years, the source said.

  Hsiao’s remarks “fueled the fire,” they said.

  The foundation is the organizer of the trip and should have obeyed the law and a letter of understanding by refraining from political activities, they said.

  Neither the delegation nor the foundation was allowed to conduct political activities during exchanges, but Hsiao polarized society by continually criticizing the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), the students’ parents and people who think differently, they said.

  The Chinese student’s reference to “China, Taipei” denied Taiwan’s status, but she has been condemned, and no further actions would be taken, as she is just a student, the source said.

  However, Hsiao fueled the fire by referring to the national team as “China, Taiwan,” which was against the purpose of cross-strait exchanges and punitive measures would be taken, they said.

  The foundation may promote its political beliefs on platforms that are not relevant to cross-strait exchanges, and all activities should be done in compliance with regulations, they said.

  The National Immigration Agency, the Mainland Affairs Council and the Ministry of Education would convene a meeting to discuss an administrative penalty on the foundation, they said.

  Hsiao yesterday said that DPP politicians and the party’s “cyberwarriors” have been polarizing society by bullying Song and spreading disinformation.

  Taiwanese spontaneously welcomed the delegation wherever they went during their visit, showing that most people embraced cross-strait exchanges, he said.

  The DPP could not extinguish their enthusiasm by oppressing or bullying different voices, or demonizing them as Chinese communists, he said.

  It is disgraceful that the DPP and its supporters have demonizad a non-governmental organization dedicated to promoting cross-strait exchanges, he added.

  Additional reporting by Lin Hsin-han and CNA
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