Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers urged the government yesterday to ban a Chinese singer from performing in Taipei, citing security concerns.
Chen Sisi (?佷佷), attached to the People's Liberation Army's (PLA) Second Artillery Corps, which is in charge of missiles and nuclear weapons, is scheduled to give a concert at the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall today.
The 33-year-old Chen gained fame last year by singing at the closing of the Beijing Olympics.
DPP Legislator William Lai (?ь肅) said Chen's performance would give a deceptively friendly impression of the PLA.
"This will dissolve the public's vigilance and hurt our national defense," Lai said.
Lai said lyrist Qu Yuan (⑽靮) and music teacher Li Shuanjiang (燠褞蔬) who are accompanying Chen on this trip are also PLA members.
Citing the Regulations Governing Entry Permission to the Taiwan Area for People from Mainland China (湮?華??鏍筳?怢?華?偝褫煇楊), Lai said the three should be deported at once for failing to disclose their PLA status when applying to enter Taiwan.
The trio pose a grave national security threat and the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) should have never approved their entry, Lai added.
"Although the council and other agencies were hesitant about their applications, a certain lawmaker lobbied on their behalf and ultimately made their visit possible," Lai said.
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Justin Chou (笚忐?) said the organizers did "appeal" to him, but he denied asked any agency to cut the organizers some slack.
"Cultural exchanges should not be politicized," he said.
When asked for comments, MAC Deputy Minister Liu Te-shun (?肅?) said the performers were visiting to attend art and cultural activities, and their trip did not have any military implications.
Ministry of National Defense Spokesman Yu Sy-tue (訒佷逌) said Chen's performances has nothing to do with military affairs.
"It is my understanding that she is not involved in any military-related activity during her time in Taiwan. She simply came for the concert, a cultural activity," Yu said.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY MO YAN-CHIH, FLORA WANG AND JIMMY CHUANG
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