Chinese writer and blogger Lu Haitao (盧海濤) asked the US for political asylum while in Taiwan and was granted his request, local media reported yesterday.
However, a US official refused to confirm whether he has been given asylum.
“I can confirm that he and his wife are in the United States. As you know, we don’t confirm or deny asylum issues,” US Department of State spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said on Thursday.
Voice of America cited Chinese dissident Hu Jia (胡佳), a friend of Lu, as saying Lu and his wife visited Taiwan on Nov. 17 last year, and were scheduled to return to China on Dec. 1 last year.
However, “because something came up and they were under pressure,” they changed their plans hours before returning to China and sought refuge in the US, Hu said.
They eventually obtained US assistance to go to the US from Taiwan and they now reside in Washington, Hu said.
Hu said Lu and his wife arrived in the US from Taiwan on Dec. 3. Because the matter involves diplomatic confidentiality between the US and Taiwan, and Lu made a commitment to the US, he will not accept interviews for the time being, Hu said.
He said that during Lu’s bid for political asylum, the US Department of State offered a great deal of help, including assistance from the US embassy in Beijing and “American agencies in Taiwan.”
Hu also said that during Lu’s stay in Taiwan, Lu met with former Democratic Progressive Party chairman Shih Ming-te (施明德), who has since severed ties with the party, and others, but due to certain pressures, he decided suddenly to ask for political asylum.
Asked if Taiwan did not extend a helping hand, Hu only said “it went beyond not helping.”
The 37-year-old had been under strict surveillance in China for visiting other dissidents, including Chinese legal activist Chen Guangcheng (陳光誠), Liu Xia (劉霞), the wife of Chinese dissident and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Liu Xiaobo (劉曉波), and Hu, and for taking part in dissident activities.
Hu said Lu was very grateful to the US State Department for efficiently helping Chinese citizens in dire straits to take refuge in a free country.
The Ministry of Economic Affairs has fined Taobao NT$1.2 million (US$36,912) for advertisements that exceed its approved business scope, requiring the Chinese e-commerce platform to make corrections in the first half of this year or its license may be revoked. Lawmakers have called for stricter enforcement of Chinese e-commerce platforms and measures to prevent China from laundering its goods through Taiwan in response to US President Donald Trump’s heavy tariffs on China. The Legislative Yuan’s Finance Committee met today to discuss policies to prevent China from dumping goods in Taiwan, inviting government agencies to report. Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Kuo Kuo-wen (郭國文) said
The Ministry of Economic Affairs has fined Taobao NT$1.2 million (US$36,900) for advertisements that exceeded its approved business scope and ordered the Chinese e-commerce platform to make corrections in the first half of this year or its license would be revoked. Lawmakers have called for stricter supervision of Chinese e-commerce platforms and more stringent measures to prevent China from laundering its goods through Taiwan as US President Donald Trump’s administration cracks down on origin laundering. The legislature’s Finance Committee yesterday met to discuss policies to prevent China from dumping goods in Taiwan, inviting government agencies to report on the matter. Democratic Progressive Party
Taiwan and its Pacific ally Tuvalu on Tuesday signed two accords aimed at facilitating bilateral cooperation on labor affairs, according to Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA). The governments inked two agreements in Taipei, witnessed by Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) and visiting Deputy Tuvaluan Prime Minister Panapasi Nelesone, MOFA said in a news release. According to MOFA, the agreements will facilitate cooperation on labor issues and allow the two sides to mutually recognize seafarers’ certificates and related training. Taiwan would also continue to collaborate with Tuvalu across various fields to promote economic prosperity as well as the well-being of their
Sung Chien-liang (宋建樑), who led efforts to recall Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Lee Kun-cheng (李坤城), was released on bail of NT$80,000 today amid outcry over his decision to wear a Nazi armband to questioning the night before. Sung arrived at the New Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office for questioning in a recall petition forgery case last night wearing a red armband bearing a swastika, carrying a copy of Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf and giving a Nazi salute. Sung left the building at 1:15am without the armband and covering the book with his coat. Lee said today that this is a serious
RSS