Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Taichung city councilors on Wednesday demanded that Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen (盧秀燕) explain why she had allowed Chinese Communist Party (CCP) “united front” rhetoric in Taichung and what actions she would take.
DPP Taichung City Councilor Tseng Chao-jung (曾朝榮) said they saw school billboards with maps, manufactured by Cardon Enterprise Co, that were titled “Map of China,” but included Taiwan.
Parents had complained and voiced their concerns about their children being exposed to “united front” rhetoric at a young age, Tseng said.
Photo: Tsai Shu-yuan, Taipei Times
Upon further inquiry, Tseng said his office discovered that parents had put up the maps at the behest of civilian groups.
He said that the Taichung City Government had allowed the CCP’s “united front” tactics to slip into the education system.
A group calling itself the Chinese United Front Office’s Wuyishan Division had asked its members to look for young Taiwanese in Taichung’s Taiping District (太平) who have not been to China and to invite them to visit to experience Chinese culture, Tseng said, citing a video from YouTuber Pa Chiung (八炯).
The YouTuber also said that product packaging in Taichung carried “united front” slogans, such as “I cannot be separated, not even for a moment, from my homeland” (我和我的祖國一刻也不能分割) and “We are Chinese” (我們是中國人), he added.
Combined with an October incident during which a bus driver taking military recruits to their mandatory military service played pro-Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) videos, it seems Taichung is a primary target of China’s “united front” tactics, Tseng said.
DPP Taichung City Councilor Tsai Yao-chieh (蔡耀頡) said that temples in Taiping District have been organizing week-long tours to temples in Fuzhou, China, offering free accommodation and travel, adding that they seem to be targeting people aged 18 to 35.
The organizers had asked participants to register a WeChat account to facilitate communication, and participants reported there were attempts to brainwash them, Tsai said.
Tsai also said that the municipal government had failed to realize that organizations had invited young Taiwanese to visit China and urged it to be alert for similar tactics.
During the council meeting, Lu repeatedly said that Taiwan is a free and democratic country, and asked councilors to provide proof of incidents contravening national security laws.
Taichung Civil Affairs Bureau Director-General Wu Shih-wei (吳世瑋) said that temples across the Taiwan Strait have been in close contact for years, but that he was unaware of Chinese temples providing free accommodation and travel.
The bus incident is under investigation, Wu said, adding that Taichung Health Bureau Director-General Tseng Tzu-chan (曾梓展) has promised to look into regulations regarding food packaging allegedly carrying pro-CCP slogans.
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