Premier urges MND to address retired major general's 'pro-unification activity'

Taipei, Sept. 5 (CNA) Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) called on the Ministry of National Defense (MND) to address the accusation that a retired Taiwanese major general recently participated in a pro-China unification event overseas, according to Julia Hsieh (謝子涵), the Cabinet's acting spokesperson.

At a press briefing on Thursday, Hsieh cited Cho as weighing in earlier the same day on media reports of retired Major General of the Republic of China's (Taiwan's official name) Army Tsang You-hsia (臧幼俠) taking part in a pro-China unification event in Hong Kong in late August.

Mirror Media reported earlier this week that Tsang was seen standing up while China's national anthem was being played during the Overseas Chinese World Conference for Promoting Peaceful Reunification of China.

Hsieh said the premier had expressed disappointment at the retired major general's alleged behavior and asked the MND to investigate and address the matter as quickly as possible.

Such conduct, Hsieh cited Cho as saying, was not in line with the country's "existing national policy" and could have a "very negative" impact on "other countries' perceptions of Taiwan," without elaborating.

Cho went on to say that Tsang's actions sharply contrasted with those of others who sang the patriotic song normally played during ROC flag-raising ceremonies when Taiwanese athletes won gold medals at the Paris Olympics last month, according to Hsieh.

The event in Hong Kong, which focused on promoting the "one China principle" and the "1992 consensus," was hosted by the China Council for the Promotion of Peaceful National Reunification, an organization headed by Wang Huning (王滬寧), a member of China's politburo standing committee.

In addition to Tsang, who previously served as the head of the opposition Kuomintang's (KMT) reconstituted charter that has close links to the military, the event was also attended by dozens of Taiwanese nationals, the reports said, without identifying who they were.

On Wednesday, the MND said in a press release that it was working with the National Security Bureau, the Mainland Affairs Council, the Ministry of Justice and other government agencies to determine whether the retired military officer had violated Taiwanese law.

According to the MND, Tsang may have violated the Act Governing Relations between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area, which prohibited him from participating in ceremonies or activities organized by Chinese authorities that "in turn harm national dignity."

If found guilty, the MND said, Tsang could face a suspension of his monthly pension, or a 50 percent reduction of that payment, for up to five years.

The MND added that if the violation was deemed "serious," the retired military officer could have his pensions and past awards revoked.

Commenting on the matter, KMT Legislator Lee Yen-hsiu (李彥秀) said Tuesday that while the party "respects" the ongoing probe into Tsang, it remained supportive of private exchanges between both sides of the Taiwan Strait.

Lee, also the head of the KMT Culture and Communications Committee, added that Tsang no longer serves as a KMT official and that he took part in the event in Hong Kong "in a personal capacity."