A new US congressional report, Democratic Reforms in Taiwan, says that some events under President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) administration have raised domestic and foreign concern.
In particular, the report by Shirley Kan, a specialist in Asian security affairs, singles out the heavy police presence to control protesters during the visit of a Chinese official in November 2008 and the “prolonged detention” of former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁).
“Under the ROC’s [Republic of China] Constitution, President Ma has the authority to grant amnesties or pardons,” the report says.
“Since 2008, a question has been whether and when Ma might use this power for former president Chen. Ma has not exercised that option and has not criticized his government, including the Justice Ministry and prosecutors. Ma has opted for distance from Chen’s case,” the report says.
As a result, observers in Taiwan and the US have “raised concerns.”
“A number of professors, writers, activists and ex-officials primarily in the United States have signed open letters on what they called the ‘erosion of justice’ in Taiwan,” the report says.
When the American Institute in Taiwan Director William Stanton met with the minister of justice in September last year and mentioned that some people in the US had commented on Chen’s case, he “encountered controversy in Taiwan’s government and media for supposed US interference,” the report says.
The Congressional Research Service (CRS) report concludes that US has played an important role in Taiwan’s transition to democracy by decreasing the nation’s sense of insecurity through arms sales and other contacts.
The US Congress has also helped, the report says, “by pressing the KMT [Chinese Nationalist Party] regime to end authoritarian abuses of power in favor of freedoms for all the people in Taiwan, including the majority Taiwanese.”
The report says that a sustainable democracy helps Taiwan to guard against “undue” Chinese influence as cross-strait engagement has intensified under Ma.
“A Taiwan that promotes values of democracy and freedom would be more likely to be strategically oriented in alignment with the US and US allies in Asia and Europe,” the report says.
The report says the US Congress has a long record of oversight of the human rights aspect of White House foreign policy toward Taiwan.
Congress could enact legislation or take other actions to promote human rights and legal reform in Taiwan, it says.
“Members as well as staff could intensify inter-parliamentary exchanges with Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan and its staff to build up that democratic institution,” it says.
“Congressional and staff delegations could further observe Taiwan’s elections and attend presidential inaugurations” the report concludes.
“In contrast to the Executive Branch which is restricted by the State Department’s guidelines on contact with Taiwan’s officials, Congress could use its greater flexibility in communicating with Taiwan’s officials up to the president to enhance engagement that promotes US values, democracy and rule of law,” it says.
BAIL APPEALS: The former vice premier was ordered to be held incommunicado despite twice being granted bail and paying a total of NT$12 million in bond The Taoyuan District Court yesterday ordered the detention of former vice premier Cheng Wen-tsan (鄭文燦), who is being investigated for alleged corruption while serving as Taoyuan mayor from December 2014 to December 2022, and that he be held incommunicado. The court made the ruling during a bail hearing after prosecutors appealed its bail ruling twice. Cheng on Saturday was released after posting bail of NT$5 million (US$153,818). However, after prosecutors lodged an appeal, the High Court on Monday revoked the original ruling and ordered the Taoyuan District Court to hold another bail hearing. On Tuesday, the district court granted bail to Cheng a second
The Thai government on Friday announced that Taiwanese would be allowed to stay in the country for up to 60 days per entry, under the Southeast Asian country’s visa-free program starting from today. Taiwan is among 93 countries included in the Thai visa-waiver program, which has been expanded from 57 countries, with the visa-exempt entry extended from 30 to 60 days. After taking office last year, Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has vowed to grant more visa waivers to foreign travelers as part of efforts to stimulate tourism. The expanded visa-waiver program was on Friday signed by Thai Minister of the Interior Anutin
PEACE AND SECURITY: China’s military ambitions present ‘the greatest strategic challenge to Japan and the world, Japan’s annual defense white paper said yesterday Japan yesterday warned that China risked escalating tensions with Taiwan with an increase in military exercises that appeared aimed in part at readying Beijing’s forces for a possible invasion. Japan’s annual assessment of security threats, including those posed by China, North Korea and Russia, comes as Taiwan closely monitors Chinese People’s Liberation Army air and sea exercises, including one with the Shandong aircraft carrier in the Pacific Ocean. The drills are the latest in a series including maneuvers in the Taiwan Strait last year that a senior US general said would be key to any invasion. “Because of that increase in military activity,
HAN KUANG: The exercises, which are to run from July 22 to 26, will feature unscripted war games and a decentralized command and control structure, military officers said The armed forces would for the first time test new rules of engagement (ROE) at this month’s annual Han Kuang exercises, the Ministry of National Defense (MND) said yesterday. The exercises, which are to run from July 22 to 26, will feature unscripted war games, and a decentralized command and control structure, military officers told a news conference in Taipei. ROE cards would be issued to select combat troops to test their ability to function without tight control, they said. The most recent edition of the rules was published last year, they said. One of the cards’ two templates identifies enemy targets that soldiers