The Legislative Yuan at an extraordinary session yesterday passed a third reading of draft amendments to the Act Governing Relations Between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area (台灣地區與大陸地區人民關係條例) that could see the monthly pensions of retired officials or military officers revoked for engaging in behavior that “impairs national dignity” at celebrations or events hosted by the Chinese Community Party, the Chinese government, or China-based military or political groups.
Such behavior includes saluting the Chinese national flag or emblem, and singing the Chinese national anthem, according to the draft amendments.
The amendments were proposed after 32 retired generals in November 2016 attended an event in China marking the 150th anniversary of the birth of Sun Yat-sen (孫中山), at which they listened to Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) give a speech and stood during a rendition of the Chinese national anthem.
Photo: George Tsorng, Taipei Times
In a version of the amendments that passed a preliminary review, only the retired heads and deputies of government agencies associated with national defense, foreign affairs, China affairs and national security; retired heads of intelligence agencies; and retired officers ranked lieutenant general or above would be subject to the restrictions.
However, before a vote in the second reading, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus proposed a revision motion to have the amendments apply to retired officers ranked major general and above, and to expand the restricted area beyond China.
The penalties were also raised from the amount that the DPP caucus originally proposed.
In the revised version, which passed yesterday, offenders could lose half to all of their monthly pensions for five years, as well as their medals, military orders, licenses and certificates.
Severe breaches could result in the permanent cancelation of monthly pensions, or the return of payments that have already been made.
Offenders who opted for a one-time pension payment would be fined NT$2 million to NT$10 million (US$64,247 to US$321,234).
Whereas three years was the “standard” time frame for travel restrictions, with government agencies reserving the right to extend or shorten that period, the passed version makes three years the minimum, and only allows agencies to prolong, but not shorten, the restrictions.
To avoid confusion over the words “national secrets” in the act, which some had interpreted as only referring to “classified national security information” regulated by the Classified National Security Information Protection Act (國家機密保護法), the amendments have changed the words “national secrets” to “national security, interests or secrets.”
Under current regulations, the mayors, county commissioners and government officials would need the approval of the Ministry of the Interior, in conjunction with the National Security Bureau, the Ministry of Justice and the Mainland Affairs Council’s review committee, before traveling to China.
Under the amendments, government officials would also be required, upon returning to Taiwan, to report to the agency they serve, with the mayors of special municipalities reporting to the Executive Yuan, and the mayors of other cities and county commissioners to the Ministry of the Interior.
Retired or former employees of government agencies associated with national defense, foreign affairs, technology, intelligence or China affairs agencies and who worked with national security, interests or secrets could also be required by the agency to report before and after travel to China, according to the amendments.
DEATH THREAT: A MAC official said that it has urged Beijing to avoid creating barriers that would impede exchanges across the Strait, but it continues to do so People should avoid unnecessary travel to China after Beijing issued 22 guidelines allowing its courts to try in absentia and sentence to death “Taiwan independence separatists,” the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said yesterday as it raised its travel alert for China, including Hong Kong and Macau, to “orange.” The guidelines published last week “severely threaten the personal safety of Taiwanese traveling to China, Hong Kong and Macau,” MAC Deputy Minister and spokesman Liang Wen-chieh (梁文傑) told a news conference in Taipei. “Following a comprehensive assessment, the government considers it necessary to elevate the travel alert to orange from yellow,” Liang said. Beijing has
Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) yesterday said that the Chinese Communist Party was planning and implementing “major” reforms, ahead of a political conclave that is expected to put economic recovery high on the agenda. Chinese policymakers have struggled to reignite growth since late 2022, when restrictions put in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic were lifted. The world’s second-largest economy is beset by a debt crisis in the property sector, persistently low consumption and high unemployment among young people. Policymakers “are planning and implementing major measures to further deepen reform in a comprehensive manner,” Xi said in a speech at the Great Hall
CIVIL DEFENSE: More reservists in alternative service would help establish a sound civil defense system for use in wartime and during natural disasters, Kuma Academy’s CEO said While a total of 120,000 reservists are expected to be called up for alternative reserve drills this year, compared with the 6,505 drilled last year, the number has been revised to 58,000 due to a postponed training date, Deputy Minster of the Interior Ma Shih-yuan (馬士元) said. In principle, the ministry still aims to call up 120,000 reservists for alternative reserve drills next year, he said, but the actual number would not be decided later until after this year’s evaluation. The increase follows a Legislative Yuan request that the Ministry of the Interior address low recruitment rates, which it made while reviewing
SOLUTIONS NEEDED: Taiwan must attract about 400,000 to 500,000 skilled foreign workers due to population decline, the minister of economic affairs said in Washington President William Lai’s (賴清德) administration is considering a plan to import labor to deal with an impending shortage of engineers and other highly skilled workers, Minister of Economic Affairs J.W. Kuo (郭智輝) said in Washington on Tuesday. Kuo was leading a delegation attending the SelectUSA Investment Summit. Taiwan must attract about 400,000 to 500,000 skilled foreign workers for high-end manufacturing jobs by 2040, he said. Ministry of Economic Affairs officials are still calculating the precise number of workers that are needed, as it works on loosening immigration restrictions and creating incentives, Kuo said. Taiwanese firms operating factories in the US and other countries would