The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) yesterday said that the party would file charges against President Chen Shui-bian (
Chen told The Washington Post last week that both the KMT and its political ally, the People First Party (PFP), have been receiving "clandestine assistance" from Beijing, which does not want to see Chen get re-elected in the presidential election next March.
"We will take legal action against Chen for his slanderous remarks against the party," said KMT spokesman Alex Tsai (
KMT Chairman Lien Chan (
Claiming that Chen's remarks were a calumny against the party, Tsai said that "starting from today, the party will set up a legal panel which will, day by day, record all Mr. Chen Shui-bian's inappropriate and illegal remarks."
"We will then gather them all and press charges [against Chen] on May 20 next year," he said.
May 20, 2004, will be the inauguration day for the nation's 11th president. Since the president enjoys executive immunity from prosecution during his term of office, the KMT has to wait until that term ends.
Tsai was also assuming that the pro-China parties would defeat Chen's re-election bid next March.
Meanwhile, Tsai Chao-ming (
"So far the government has not found any precise or explicit evidence proving that Beijing has been assisting the pan-blue alliance for any purpose," the bureau director was quoted by PFP Legislator Lu Hsiu-yen (
Tsai Chao-ming made the remarks in response to questions raised by opposition lawmakers.
According to Lu, the director was also asked by opposition legislators whether DPP Legislator Chen Chung-hsin (
The opposition lawmakers also asked him whether there was any truth to recent reports that some China-based Taiwanese business people have been "controlled" in one way or another by Beijing to be used as "political tools."
The bureau director described the allegations as "electioneering rhetoric."
Two years ago US academic Bonnie Glaser riled the KMT when she wrote in an academic paper "Scores of KMT delegations visiting China in the past year have urged Beijing to avoid opening a dialogue with Chen that might strengthen [Chen's] position and increase his chances of re-election, Chinese analysts say. Instead, the KMT urges Chinese leaders to await the return of their party to power, promising that the KMT will pursue a cross-strait policy that is more amenable to Beijing."
Also See Story:
Chinese version of Chen's `Post' interview published
AIR DEFENSE: The Norwegian missile system has proved highly effective in Ukraine in its war against Russia, and the US has recommended it for Taiwan, an expert said The Norwegian Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS) Taiwan ordered from the US would be installed in strategically important positions in Taipei and New Taipei City to guard the region, the Ministry of National Defense said in statement yesterday. The air defense system would be deployed in Taipei’s Songshan District (松山) and New Taipei City’s Tamsui District (淡水), the ministry said, adding that the systems could be delivered as soon as the end of this year. The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency has previously said that three NASAMS would be sold to Taiwan. The weapons are part of the 17th US arms sale to
SERIOUS ALLEGATIONS: The suspects formed spy networks and paramilitary groups to kill government officials during a possible Chinese invasion, prosecutors said Prosecutors have indicted seven retired military officers, members of the Rehabilitation Alliance Party, for allegedly obtaining funds from China, and forming paramilitary groups and assassination squads in Taiwan to collaborate with Chinese troops in a possible war. The suspects contravened the National Security Act (國家安全法) by taking photos and drawing maps of key radar stations, missile installations and the American Institute in Taiwan’s headquarters in Taipei, prosecutors said. They allegedly prepared to collaborate with China during a possible invasion of Taiwan, prosecutors said. Retired military officer Chu Hung-i (屈宏義), 62, a Republic of China Army Academy graduate, went to China
INSURRECTION: The NSB said it found evidence the CCP was seeking snipers in Taiwan to target members of the military and foreign organizations in the event of an invasion The number of Chinese spies prosecuted in Taiwan has grown threefold over a four-year period, the National Security Bureau (NSB) said in a report released yesterday. In 2021 and 2022, 16 and 10 spies were prosecuted respectively, but that number grew to 64 last year, it said, adding that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) was working with gangs in Taiwan to develop a network of armed spies. Spies in Taiwan have on behalf of the CCP used a variety of channels and methods to infiltrate all sectors of the country, and recruited Taiwanese to cooperate in developing organizations and obtaining sensitive information
BREAKTHROUGH: The US is making chips on par in yield and quality with Taiwan, despite people saying that it could not happen, the official said Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) has begun producing advanced 4-nanometer (nm) chips for US customers in Arizona, US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo said, a milestone in the semiconductor efforts of the administration of US President Joe Biden. In November last year, the commerce department finalized a US$6.6 billion grant to TSMC’s US unit for semiconductor production in Phoenix, Arizona. “For the first time ever in our country’s history, we are making leading edge 4-nanometer chips on American soil, American workers — on par in yield and quality with Taiwan,” Raimondo said, adding that production had begun in recent
RSS