Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) members yesterday accused Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Deputy Secretary-General Alex Tsai (蔡正元) and a Chinese businessman of attempting to bribe and intimidate self-professed Chinese spy William Wang Liqiang (王立強), while the Ministry of Justice confirmed that Australian authorities had sought Taiwan’s assistance to investigate an alleged threat to Wang’s life.
DPP presidential campaign office spokeswoman Chien Shu-pei (簡舒培) said at a news conference in Taipei that the issue was “an international scandal.”
“It is repugnant for a top official to use intimidation and enticement to press Wang to recant his statement about spying, and then say he was bought off by the DPP for a large amount of money,” Chien said.
Photo: Chen Yu-fu, Taipei Times
“Wang Liqiang, who is currently in Australia, reported to police that Alex Tsai and another man had made threats against him,” Deputy Minister of Justice Chen Ming-tang (陳明堂) told the news conference in Taipei. “Australian police then contacted us with a request for information on Mr Tsai.”
The ministry confirmed Tsai’s position as KMT deputy secretary-general, but did not divulge further information on him, Chen said, adding that the case is being investigated by Australian police and the two sides are communicating through their respective judiciaries.
While Tsai said that former DPP secretary-general Chiou I-jen (邱義仁) had visited Australia and offered Wang money, DPP Legislator Kuan Bi-ling (管碧玲) said that Chiou had not traveled there to meet Wang.
The reports in Australian newspapers did not say that Wang spoke with Chiou, Kuan said.
Separately yesterday, Chiou said in a statement that “the KMT has resorted to rumors, conjecture and false accusations.”
“I have not visited Australia in my whole life,” Chiou said. “The other allegations are pure fabrications. I have the legal right to sue [people for false accusations] and we hope such misunderstandings end here so that Taiwan’s democracy is not harmed.”
“Tsai’s actions are to interfere with the elections to tilt them in the KMT’s favor,” he said. “They were also aimed at rescuing [Hong Kong-based China Innovation Investment (中國創新投資) executive director] Xiang Xin (向心),” Kuan said.
“Tsai is attempting to frame the DPP and make it appear that Wang made up a spy story to fool the Australian authorities,” he said.
On Wednesday, Australian newspapers reported that police there were investigating.
“The Australian Federal Police is treating seriously alleged threats to Mr Wang, with sources confirming they opened an investigation in the hours after the first message was received on Christmas Eve,” The Age reported.
Wang “was told in a series of messages that his family would be spared punishment and his debts would be repaid if he gave a public statement retracting his claims about spying for China,” the newspaper reported, adding that the messages came from Tsai and Chinese businessman Sun Tianqun (孫天群).
“Mr Wang was provided with a script and told to record a video message in which he would falsely claim that Taiwan’s democratically elected governing party, the Democratic Progressive Party, had bribed him to lie by offering him a large sum of money,” The Age reported.
Such a video would have been a controversial intervention in tomorrow’s presidential election amid accusations that the Chinese Communist Party has attempted to influence the vote.
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old