The Lienchiang County Government is superseding the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) by giving county residents prepaid transportation cards. Residents who travel to Fuzhou and spend money would be provided with discounts. In doing this, the government is voluntarily serving the CCP’s Taiwan Policy.
The Lienchiang County Government’s behavior severely infringes upon civil servants’ obligations toward and pledge of loyalty to Taiwan.
Lienchiang County’s budget last year was about NT$4.6 billion (US$142 million). If this amount were divided among Matsu’s 13,200 residents, each person would receive an average of NT$350,000. The Lienchiang County government has instead decided to help the CCP take control of the area, “selling” the people of Matsu to the CCP for a mere 300 Chinese yuan.
County governments are public entities. The tenets of civil service clearly stipulate that civil servants pledge their loyalty to our country . Despite the Lienchiang County government setting an illegal example, the County magistrate was elected by the public and should act according to the regulations that govern all civil servants.
Civil servants working under the county government have an even stronger obligation to abide by the law. They must not accept the government’s illegal instructions and do things that encroach on national interests.
In Taiwan, accounting and human affairs personnel are under the control of the central system. Thus, political units should fulfill the function of directing and supervising the government’s conduct. The Control Yuan should motion for the impeachment of Lienchiang’s civil servants.
The spirit of political autonomy lies in providing a place with the ability to handle its own general affairs. It enables administrative efficacy and independent handling of matters.
It is not meant to be a limitless expansion that extends beyond national borders. Nor is it meant to reach a point where administrative actions contravene national interests.
Chen Chi-nung is a political commentator.
Translated by Kyra Gustavsen
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