Responding to accusations made by President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) on Tuesday, the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) denied yesterday that it is working with China to influence the results of the upcoming legislative elections.
"President Chen Shui-bian is once again making up stories about China supporting the pan-blue camp. This is his habit during each election cycle," KMT spokesperson Chang Jung-kung (
While campaigning for legislative candidates in Keelung on Tuesday, Chen said that the recent presence of KMT deputy spokeswoman Kuo Su-chuen (郭素春) at a social dinner with Taiwanese businesspeople in Shanghai, China was proof that China was seeking to interfere in the Dec. 11 elections.
In a retaliatory press conference yesterday, Kuo defended herself against the allegations. While both she and her husband, Hung Hsi-yao (洪璽曜), were at the dinner, Kuo said she was there only as a "polite gesture" in the hopes that Taiwanese businesspeople abroad would vote for the KMT.
Chen is inhuman for putting pressure on the KMT for such a little thing, Kuo said yesterday.
In his statement Tuesday night, Chang also criticized Chen as viewing Taiwanese businesspeople in China as "Communist China's puppets."
"Taiwanese businesspeople in China are also Taiwanese citizens with voting rights," said Chang. "It is natural, for these citizens that care about their country, to invite Taiwanese political figures over to explain the political situation to them," Chang added.
Another focal point of KMT retaliation against Chen yesterday were his accusations Tuesday that the KMT was trying to dispose of party assets through former KMT financial director Hsu Li-teh (徐立德), and Chairman Lien Chan's (連戰) son Sean Lien (連勝文). Pointing to discrepancies between estimated value and rumored sale value of KMT-owned companies -- Hua Hsia Investment Holding Co (華夏投資) and Central Investment Holding Co -- Chen said that Sean Lien and Hsu were using a number of capital companies as fronts to launder KMT party assets by making investments in China.
Sean Lien has previously worked for various international investment banks and is currently a vice president at the GE Asia Pacific Capital Technology Fund based out of Hong Kong. He is rumored to have a private fortune of at least NT$2 billion. Hsu is the former finance director of the KMT and vice premier.
While the Hua Hsia Investment Holding Co is valued at over NT$10 billion, Chen said, it is being sold for just NT$8 billion.
KMT Chairman Lien Chan (
"This is ridiculous. Chen is attacking people without providing evidence. Even my family has become the target of his attacks," Lien said yesterday in Taipei while stumping for KMT legislative candidate Justin Chou (周守訓).
Chen should provide evidence of his accusations, if he has any, Lien said.
It was unclear yesterday if Lien was planning to take legal action against Chen.
‘DENIAL DEFENSE’: The US would increase its military presence with uncrewed ships, and submarines, while boosting defense in the Indo-Pacific, a Pete Hegseth memo said The US is reorienting its military strategy to focus primarily on deterring a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan, a memo signed by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth showed. The memo also called on Taiwan to increase its defense spending. The document, known as the “Interim National Defense Strategic Guidance,” was distributed this month and detailed the national defense plans of US President Donald Trump’s administration, an article in the Washington Post said on Saturday. It outlines how the US can prepare for a potential war with China and defend itself from threats in the “near abroad,” including Greenland and the Panama
A wild live dugong was found in Taiwan for the first time in 88 years, after it was accidentally caught by a fisher’s net on Tuesday in Yilan County’s Fenniaolin (粉鳥林). This is the first sighting of the species in Taiwan since 1937, having already been considered “extinct” in the country and considered as “vulnerable” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. A fisher surnamed Chen (陳) went to Fenniaolin to collect the fish in his netting, but instead caught a 3m long, 500kg dugong. The fisher released the animal back into the wild, not realizing it was an endangered species at
The High Prosecutors’ Office yesterday withdrew an appeal against the acquittal of a former bank manager 22 years after his death, marking Taiwan’s first instance of prosecutors rendering posthumous justice to a wrongfully convicted defendant. Chu Ching-en (諸慶恩) — formerly a manager at the Taipei branch of BNP Paribas — was in 1999 accused by Weng Mao-chung (翁茂鍾), then-president of Chia Her Industrial Co, of forging a request for a fixed deposit of US$10 million by I-Hwa Industrial Co, a subsidiary of Chia Her, which was used as collateral. Chu was ruled not guilty in the first trial, but was found guilty
DEADLOCK: As the commission is unable to forum a quorum to review license renewal applications, the channel operators are not at fault and can air past their license date The National Communications Commission (NCC) yesterday said that the Public Television Service (PTS) and 36 other television and radio broadcasters could continue airing, despite the commission’s inability to meet a quorum to review their license renewal applications. The licenses of PTS and the other channels are set to expire between this month and June. The National Communications Commission Organization Act (國家通訊傳播委員會組織法) stipulates that the commission must meet the mandated quorum of four to hold a valid meeting. The seven-member commission currently has only three commissioners. “We have informed the channel operators of the progress we have made in reviewing their license renewal applications, and
RSS