The Ministry of National Defense confirmed yesterday that Army Major General Li Hsien-sheng (黎賢聖), who was the director in charge of Taiwan’s defense mission in the US, has been removed from his post after he failed lie-detector tests in May.
It has been reported that Li made “unauthorized contacts” in the US.
The removal of Li from his post has raised alarm bells because the defense mission, which has an office in Washington, is responsible for the air force’s purchase of upgrades to its F-16A/B jets, procurement and upgrading of the US long-range early-warning radar system and other arms deals, as well as conducting dialogue on Taiwan-US strategic military planning.
Photo: CNA
As such, experts said the mission has access to highly classified information and military intelligence, and has high-level contact with the US Department of Defense. Therefore, the removal of Li from his post after failing a lie-detector test is of great concern in military and national security circles.
Li’s situation has also raised eyebrows because he was a trusted aide of former minister of national defense Kao Hua-chu (高華柱), and had access to sensitive information on Taiwan-US military exchanges and arms programs.
Ministry spokesman Major General David Lo (羅紹和) said yesterday Li was replaced as head of the mission by navy Rear Admiral Yang Ta-wei (楊大偉) and that Li is now back in Taiwan serving at the Army Command Headquarters.
Photo: CNA
These are troubled times for the defense mission, as it has had four directors within the past five years, with Li being the latest casualty.
Former director Chen Ching-chung (陳敬忠) was investigated for unauthorized use of funds for intelligence operations and charged with corruption in 2010.
Other Taiwanese military officials at the mission have been dismissed for being involved in bribery scandals and having “suspicious contacts” with arms dealers.
The lie-detector tests are administered to staff stationed overseas to check if a subject has had contact with “inappropriate people,” such as Chinese nationals and foreign spies.
Lo said the questions administered during the polygraphs were classified and no details can be divulged.
“The ministry is conducting a further investigation into this matter. Li is facing up to the situation in a calm, straightforward manner. He wants to prove that he has not done anything to let down his country,” Lo said.
He said that failing the test does not mean Li lied, because the results could be affected by other factors, such as physical or mental condition, medication and fatigue after flying back to Taiwan.
CRITICAL MOVE: TSMC’s plan to invest another US$100 billion in US chipmaking would boost Taiwan’s competitive edge in the global market, the premier said The government would ensure that the most advanced chipmaking technology stays in Taiwan while assisting Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) in investing overseas, the Presidential Office said yesterday. The statement follows a joint announcement by the world’s largest contract chipmaker and US President Donald Trump on Monday that TSMC would invest an additional US$100 billion over the next four years to expand its semiconductor manufacturing operations in the US, which would include construction of three new chip fabrication plants, two advanced packaging facilities, and a research and development center. The government knew about the deal in advance and would assist, Presidential
‘DANGEROUS GAME’: Legislative Yuan budget cuts have already become a point of discussion for Democrats and Republicans in Washington, Elbridge Colby said Taiwan’s fall to China “would be a disaster for American interests” and Taipei must raise defense spending to deter Beijing, US President Donald Trump’s pick to lead Pentagon policy, Elbridge Colby, said on Tuesday during his US Senate confirmation hearing. The nominee for US undersecretary of defense for policy told the Armed Services Committee that Washington needs to motivate Taiwan to avoid a conflict with China and that he is “profoundly disturbed” about its perceived reluctance to raise defense spending closer to 10 percent of GDP. Colby, a China hawk who also served in the Pentagon in Trump’s first team,
SEPARATE: The MAC rebutted Beijing’s claim that Taiwan is China’s province, asserting that UN Resolution 2758 neither mentions Taiwan nor grants the PRC authority over it The “status quo” of democratic Taiwan and autocratic China not belonging to each other has long been recognized by the international community, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said yesterday in its rebuttal of Beijing’s claim that Taiwan can only be represented in the UN as “Taiwan, Province of China.” Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi (王毅) yesterday at a news conference of the third session at the 14th National People’s Congress said that Taiwan can only be referred to as “Taiwan, Province of China” at the UN. Taiwan is an inseparable part of Chinese territory, which is not only history but
INVESTMENT WATCH: The US activity would not affect the firm’s investment in Taiwan, where 11 production lines would likely be completed this year, C.C. Wei said Investments by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) in the US should not be a cause for concern, but rather seen as the moment that the company and Taiwan stepped into the global spotlight, President William Lai (賴清德) told a news conference at the Presidential Office in Taipei yesterday alongside TSMC chairman and chief executive officer C.C. Wei (魏哲家). Wei and US President Donald Trump in Washington on Monday announced plans to invest US$100 billion in the US to build three advanced foundries, two packaging plants, and a research and development center, after Trump threatened to slap tariffs on chips made
RSS