Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Chiu Yi (
Chiu displayed a document he claimed proved his allegation in a press conference. But the name of the applicant was spelt in pseudo Hanyu pinyin as "Zhi Zhong Chen" rather than "Chen Chih-chung", the spelling of his name in Tong-yong pinyin favored by most Taiwanese use.
"Chen Chih-chung left his fingerprint on the form. That is his center finger," Chiu said.
PHOTO: WANG MIN-WEI, TAIPEI TIMES
The document Chiu displayed was a completed "I-797 C Notice of Action" issued by the US Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) of the Department of Homeland Security.
The document, dated Oct. 24, 2005, required the applicant "Zhi Zhong Chen" to go to the USCIS's office located in the city of El Monte in California Nov. 30, 2005 at 12pm to have his fingerprints and biometrics taken.
"The lawyer entrusted by Chen Chih-chung to process the application had left his name and address on the form, but my informant blacked out the information before giving it to me," he said.
Chiu said he knew the lawyer's identity.
"His surname is Chien (
Since the application was filed at the USCIS about one year ago, Chen Chih-chung should have obtained or is about to obtain his US green card, Chiu said.
Chiu added that the "Form I-797" was used to apply for "Form I-485 Application to Register Permanent Resident or Adjust Status," the last stage of applying for a US green card.
"If Chen had already received the green card, he is not allowed to leave the US for a period of three years. If he does leave, he has to obtain `Form I-131,' which is difficult to get, to ensure his return to the US. That's why Chen Chih-chung is reluctant to come back to Taiwan at the moment," Chiu said.
Chiu claimed he had the attachments of the "Form I-797 C" in his possession, which would show Chen Chih-chung's investment in Tawa Supermarket in the US, and remittance transactions associated with the investment from Taiwan to the US.
Chiu, however, didn't disclose the attachments in the press conference, noting that he is considering disclosing Chen Chih-chung's social security number and a copy of his passport later on.
After reporters sought clarification, Chiu directly claimed Chen Chih-chung had put money into the Tawa Supermarket so that he could apply for US citizenship as an immigrant investor.
According to a news clip broadcast by SETTV yesterday, the supermarket would hold a press conference today to dismiss Chiu's accusation on the account.
Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Charles Chiang (
Chen Chih-chung's lawyer filed a lawsuit against Chiu and sought NT$100 million in compensation.
Lin Chih-hao (
Describing Chiu's allegations as "pure speculation" and "deliberate defamation," Lin said Chiu is an individual who "habitually makes random and unfounded accusations against others and refuses to clean up his act."
"We will continue to take legal action against Chiu every time he makes a false allegation against my client," he said. "We will ask prosecutors to take into account every false accusation Chiu makes against my client and increase the penalty."
Chen Chih-chung also issued a statement from the US via his lawyer's office, dismissing Chiu's allegations as "groundless."
He said he has never applied for US citizenship nor owned a second passport issued by a third country. Neither did he invest in 99 Ranch Market as Chiu claimed.
He said he is staying in the US on a student visa and is doing the optional practical training (OPT) for a law firm with an employment authorization card.
He said that the Romanization of his name was "Chen Chih-chung" not "Zhi Zhong Chen" as Chiu alleged.
Finally, he said he knew but had not had dealings with Mrs Tu -- a real estate agent that who Chiu alleged helped Chen invest in the US.
‘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
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) is maintaining close ties with Beijing, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) said yesterday, hours after a new round of Chinese military drills in the Taiwan Strait began. Political parties in a democracy have a responsibility to be loyal to the nation and defend its sovereignty, DPP spokesman Justin Wu (吳崢) told a news conference in Taipei. His comments came hours after Beijing announced via Chinese state media that the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Theater Command was holding large-scale drills simulating a multi-pronged attack on Taiwan. Contrary to the KMT’s claims that it is staunchly anti-communist, KMT Deputy
RESPONSE: The government would investigate incidents of Taiwanese entertainers in China promoting CCP propaganda online in contravention of the law, the source said Taiwanese entertainers living in China who are found to have contravened cross-strait regulations or collaborated with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) could be subject to fines, a source said on Sunday. Several Taiwanese entertainers have posted on the social media platform Sina Weibo saying that Taiwan “must be returned” to China, and sharing news articles from Chinese state media. In response, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) has asked the Ministry of Culture to investigate whether the entertainers had contravened any laws, and asked for them to be questioned upon their return to Taiwan, an official familiar with the matter said. To curb repeated
Myanmar has turned down an offer of assistance from Taiwanese search-and-rescue teams after a magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck the nation on Friday last week, saying other international aid is sufficient, the National Fire Agency said yesterday. More than 1,700 have been killed and 3,400 injured in the quake that struck near the central Myanmar city of Mandalay early on Friday afternoon, followed minutes later by a magnitude 6.7 aftershock. Worldwide, 13 international search-and-rescue teams have been deployed, with another 13 teams mobilizing, the agency said. Taiwan’s search-and-rescue teams were on standby, but have since been told to stand down, as