The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) yesterday said it is “puzzled by and regrets” former vice president Lien Chan’s (連戰) attendance at China’s massive military parade to mark Japan’s defeat in World War II.
The People First Party (PFP), on the other hand, said that its secretary-general, Chin Ching-sheng (秦金生), who is in Beijing for the commemorations, did not attend the parade — a claim that another attendee challenged.
Despite strong denunciations by many politicians across party lines, Lien attended the Chinese military show of force, along with about 300 other representatives from Taiwan, reports said.
Photo: CNA
KMT spokesperson Yang Wei-chung (楊偉中) reiterated that the war against Japan was led by the Republic of China (ROC) government and that the KMT is “unwavering in upholding democratic values” and the “historical truth about the war.”
The KMT “deeply regrets and is much puzzled by former [KMT] chairman Lien’s attendance at [China’s] military parade, on the same day as the Armed Forces Day of the ROC,” Yang said.
Responding to calls from KMT members — such as Taipei City Councilor Lee Hsin (李新) — for the party to take disciplinary action against Lien, Yang said there are differing opinions within the party about members attending the parade.
Photo: Yen Hung-chun, Taipei Times
“These opinions will be discussed and [the cases involving those members will] be handled in accordance with party mechanisms,” he added.
PFP Deputy Secretary-General Liu Wen-hsiung (劉文雄) said that Chin did not attend the parade.
However, the Chinese-language Apple Daily, citing an anonymous attendee in Beijing, said that Chin had been on the Tiananmen Gate rostrum during the parade.
The source alleged that Chin had climbed up the rostrum with other members of the group, but later excused himself and went to a staff room in the back, saying he did not feel well.
PFP spokesperson Clarence Wu (吳崑玉) denied the allegations, saying Chin “was not on the rostrum” of the Tiananmen Gate.
The Apple Daily report said that a PFP member said Chin had “technically avoided” viewing the military parade, as Chin told PFP headquarters that the invited group had to “act as a whole,” but he left the seat arranged by the Chinese government on a pretext, which should be counted as “absence.”
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Changhua chapter director Chen Chin-ting (陳進丁) filed a lawsuit at the Changhua District Prosecutors’ Office against Lien, accusing him of “civil disturbance” and “treason.”
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
CROSSED A LINE: While entertainers working in China have made pro-China statements before, this time it seriously affected the nation’s security and interests, a source said The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) late on Saturday night condemned the comments of Taiwanese entertainers who reposted Chinese statements denigrating Taiwan’s sovereignty. The nation’s cross-strait affairs authority issued the statement after several Taiwanese entertainers, including Patty Hou (侯佩岑), Ouyang Nana (歐陽娜娜) and Michelle Chen (陳妍希), on Friday and Saturday shared on their respective Sina Weibo (微博) accounts a post by state broadcaster China Central Television. The post showed an image of a map of Taiwan along with the five stars of the Chinese flag, and the message: “Taiwan is never a country. It never was and never will be.” The post followed remarks
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
CONSISTENT COMMITMENT: The American Institute in Taiwan director said that the US would expand investment and trade relationships to make both nations more prosperous The US would not abandon its commitment to Taiwan, and would make Taiwan safer, stronger and more prosperous, American Institute in Taiwan Director Raymond Greene said. “The US’ commitment to Taiwan has been consistent over many administrations and over many years, and we will not abandon our commitment to Taiwan, including our opposition to any attempt to use force or coercion to change Taiwan’s status,” he said in an exclusive interview with the Liberty Times (the sister newspaper of the Taipei Times) on Friday last week, which was published in the Chinese-language newspaper yesterday. The US would double down on its efforts
RSS