Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) yesterday used a Chinese idiom to suggest that the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) should deal with its own problems, after President William Lai (賴清德) urged Han to lead lawmakers across party lines in supporting DPP Legislator Puma Shen (沈伯洋), whom China is investigating for promoting “Taiwanese independence.”
“Untying the bell requires the person who fastened it” (解鈴還須繫鈴人), Han said, using an idiom meaning that only the person who started a problem can fix it.
China’s state-run Xinhua news agency late last month reported that Shen is being probed by the Chongqing Municipal Public Security Bureau on allegations of “secession-related” criminal activities, including launching the civil defense organization Kuma Academy.
Photo: Lo Pei-de, Taipei Times
The investigation is being carried out under China’s criminal law and Beijing’s 22 guidelines on how to penalize “Taiwanese independence separatists,” the report said.
Lai on Tuesday expressed hope that Han would uphold the dignity of the legislature and protect freedom of speech by supporting Shen.
Han said that as legislative speaker, it is his responsibility to ensure the freedom of speech, personal safety and protection from intimidation or threats for all lawmakers during legislative inquiries.
“This is part of the speaker’s duty, and we will do everything in our power to protect the rights and interests of every legislator,” he said.
However, as to speaking up for Shen, Han said: “When someone is sick, they make others take the medicine.”
The speaker added that much like a table, Taiwan’s security is supported by four legs.
“The first leg of Taiwan’s security is maintaining the Republic of China (ROC); the second leg is safeguarding our democracy and freedom; the third leg is maintaining strong Taiwan-US relations; the fourth leg is ensuring cross-strait peace,” he said.
Lai and the DPP have broken three of them, said Han, a Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislator.
“The DPP’s pro-independence party platform is right there; how can they protect the ROC? Lai has spent the past year launching large-scale recall campaigns; how can they safeguard Taiwan’s democracy and freedom? Lai has declared China an external hostile force; how can they maintain cross-strait peace? Now, only one leg remains: maintaining strong Taiwan-US relations,” he said.
If Lai truly wants to help Shen, he should consider how to repair the legs, Han said.
Lai, as DPP chairman, should abolish the party’s Taiwanese independence platform, restore positive interactions between the executive and legislative branches, and retract the designation of China as a hostile external force, he said.
The DPP said it was regrettable that Han remains silent as a legislator is subjected to cross-border suppression by an authoritarian regime, and that after Lai’s call for action, he resorted to criticism, demonstrating a misunderstanding of Taiwan’s democracy and freedom.
There is no trace of the dignity and responsibility that the speaker should embody, it added.
DPP caucus secretary-general Chen Pei-yu (陳培瑜) accused Han of standing with the perpetrators.
It is the KMT’s submissive attitude that is undermining cross-strait and regional peace, she added.
Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) responded to Han with an analogy.
“There are two dishes on the table: one is the KMT head participating in a ceremony honoring communist spies, and the other is China launching a global manhunt for an ROC lawmaker. As the speaker of the Legislative Yuan, why has Han remained silent?” Cho said, adding that Han should give the public a clear answer.
Additional reporting by Lee Wen-hsin
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