The New Party yesterday decried what it said was the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) “barbaric arrest” of four of its members for alleged violations of the National Security Act (國家安全法).
Investigation Bureau officers at about 6:30am yesterday raided the homes of New Party spokesman Wang Ping-chung (王炳忠) and party members Hou Han-ting (侯漢廷), Lin Ming-cheng (林明正) and Chen Ssu-chun (陳斯俊) in Taipei and New Taipei City, seizing documents, computers and cellphones, and taking the four to the bureau for questioning on the grounds that they allegedly collected and provided intelligence to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
“What intelligence could they possibly collect and provide? What have they done other than openly oppose [Taiwanese] independence and advocate unification” between Taiwan and China, New Party Deputy Chairman Lee Sheng-feng (李勝峰) told a news conference in Taipei.
Photo: CNA
Wang, Hou and Lin are household names for their anti-independence, pro-unification remarks in the media, and by targeting the three most well-known young members of the party, the DPP is attempting to silence the New Party, Lee said.
Wang’s lawyer, Chen Li-ling (陳麗玲), said the four were denied the right to seek legal assistance before their arrest, because they were initially slated to be summoned as witnesses at 8:30am yesterday.
“However, their residences were raided at 6am, which was a procedural violation,” she added.
By perpetrating a move that is reckless, barbaric and “messed up,” the DPP is forcing the public to rebel, and the New Party will respond by devoting itself to the local elections next year to overthrow the DPP to let it “feel people’s wrath and bring about justice,” he said.
The four were arrested in connection with an espionage case implicating alleged Chinese spy Zhou Hongxu (周泓旭), Lee said, but added that he did not know Zhou personally, nor did he know how close Zhou was with the four men.
“The DPP can ignore the need to drive economic growth and discourage diversity. However, it will never take away the pride of being Chinese from New Party Youth Corps members,” New Party Youth Corps head Yang Shih-kuang (楊世光) said, adding that his party would do everything in its power to clear his colleagues’ names through legal action.
New Party member Kolan Kaoti (戈蘭高地), who provided Chen Ssu-chun with accommodation, said she was terrified and compared the investigators to Gestapo because they made a mess of Chen Ssu-chun’s belongings.
“The move was like a reprise of the White Terror,” she said.
“The DPP will have bad karma for the many evil deeds it has done,” Hou’s mother said.
Separately, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) spokesman Hung Meng-kai (洪孟楷) said the raids and arrests were disproportionate, as authorities did not have enough evidence to prove that the four had committed an offense.
The move has raised public concern that the DPP is reinstating martial law, he said, urging investigators and prosecutors to promptly give an explanation to ease concerns.
Deputy Minister of Justice Chen Ming-tang (陳明堂) said he knew the details of the case, but declined to elaborate, citing the confidentiality principle on cases under investigation.
‘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
RSS