Preparations to tackle espionage, infiltration, propaganda and other national security threats from China are under way, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) said on Friday.
The Cabinet has identified more than 100 measures and revisions to the law to better address Chinese threats after President William Lai (賴清德) convened a national security meeting in the middle of March, Cho said in an interview with the Central News Agency.
Following the meeting, Lai pledged to reinstate military courts, restrict private-sector exchanges across the Taiwan Strait, expand screenings of cross-strait flows of talent, goods and capital, as well as work with partner countries to reject Beijing’s claims over Taiwan.
Photo: CNA
Lai raised the alarm over the growing number of former and active-duty military personnel in Taiwan who have been accused or indicted for spying for China in the past few years, while investigations of alleged spying by aides of senior Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government officials have also sparked concern.
One of the aides was Ho Jen-chieh (何仁傑), who worked for Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) when he was National Security Council secretary-general from May 2016 to May 2017, Presidential Office secretary-general from May 2017 to February 2018 and minister of foreign affairs from 2018 to last year.
Other suspects in the Ho case include Wu Shang-yu (吳尚雨), who worked as an adviser in Lai’s office; Chiu Shih-yuan (邱世元), former deputy head of the DPP’s Taiwan Institute of Democracy; and Huang Chu-jung (黃取榮), an aide to DPP New Taipei City Councilor Lee Yu-tien (李余典).
Among the measures identified by the Cabinet, priority would be given to reforming rules for special background checks for people who have access to classified government information, Cho said, adding that Chinese espionage within the DPP government was unacceptable.
He did not provide details on what the reforms would involve.
The reforms would first be implemented in the Executive Yuan, he said, adding that he hoped the legislature would follow suit.
It is common for legislators to ask for sensitive information from the executive body and their assistants often have access to it, too, he said.
The government has always welcomed healthy and sustainable cross-strait exchanges, but action is needed to combat Chinese “united front” work and infiltration, as well as other threats, Cho said.
Turning to US relations, Cho said that labeling regulations for “Made in Taiwan” (MIT) products are a major topic of discussion in negotiations with Washington over the “reciprocal” tariffs policy of US President Donald Trump’s administration.
Given the close economic exchanges between Taiwan and China, one of the key issues in the negotiations is how to prevent Chinese exports from evading US tariffs by being rerouted through Taiwan and falsely labeled as MIT products, which could harm Taiwan’s industrial interests, Cho said.
FUKUOKA SITUATION: Japanese media reported that the pathogen is expected to be identified by the summer, while the CDC downplayed the idea that it was hMPV A “mysterious cold-like illness” reported in Japan’s Fukuoka Prefecture does not seem to be a new disease, but Japanese authorities have been asked about the situation, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday. The Fukuoka Prefectural Medical Association on Wednesday told a news conference that a “mystery cold” that has become a hot topic on social media is “highly likely to be caused by some kind of viral infection,” Japan’s KBC News reported. “Many people are experiencing symptoms starting with a sore throat, followed by a runny nose, phlegm and a severe cough,” KBC News reported, citing association officials. Health authorities are
Nvidia Corp CEO Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) arrived in Taiwan yesterday ahead of upcoming AI and technology events, saying he plans to meet with clients and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家) during his visit. After landing at Taipei Songshan Airport, Huang posed for photos with fans and handed out Yakult drinks to reporters and supporters waiting at the scene, saying he has “a lot to do” during the trip. Asked about reports that Nvidia’s planned headquarters site in Taipei’s Beitou Shilin Technology Park could break ground on May 27, Huang said that if the company holds an event, he would
The Ministry of Finance this afternoon announced the winning numbers for the March-April uniform invoice lottery. The winning number for the NT$10 million (US$318,060) special prize is 19531471, and the winning number for the NT$2 million grand prize is 85941329. Three numbers were drawn for the NT$200,000 first prize: 07225810, 20231230 and 83518781. Those with receipts matching the last seven digits of any of the first-prize numbers will win the NT$40,000 second prize, while those matching the last six digits will win the NT$10,000 third prize. Those whose receipts match the last five digits of the first-prize numbers can claim the NT$4,000 fourth prize,
SIX SUBSIDIES: The monthly allowance for older farmers is to increase to NT$10,000, and NT$5,000 is to be given to homemakers under the national pension system, Lai said The government is to implement major welfare policies for disadvantaged groups, including raising the monthly allowance for older farmers to NT$10,000 and providing homemakers with NT$5,000 per month, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday. Lai made the remarks during a visit to Wangling Temple in Chiayi County, saying that the planned increases were being introduced amid economic growth and an increase in tax revenue. Touting a policy, in which the government plans to provide a monthly allowance of NT$5,000 for every child under the age of 18 in a bid to address Taiwan’s low birthrate, Lai said that if received for the
RSS