MOI asks Constitutional Court to dissolve pro-China political party

Taipei, Aug. 7 (CNA) The Ministry of the Interior (MOI) petitioned the Constitutional Court on Friday to dissolve the pro-China Chinese Unification Promotion Party (CUPP), citing alleged threats to national security and Taiwan's democratic constitutional order.

MOI Chief Secretary Huang Chun-i (黃駿逸) and ministry official Cheng Ying-hung (鄭英弘) submitted the petition on the ministry's behalf.

In a press release, the ministry said the petition was based on allegations that CUPP members had violated national security laws and endangered national security, social stability and the integrity of Taiwan's elections.

According to the ministry, the party recruited Chinese nationals married to Taiwanese residents to take part in activities directed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), expanded Beijing's espionage network by recruiting active-duty and retired military personnel, and arranged for them to travel to China.

The MOI also accused the CUPP of interfering in elections by channeling Chinese funds into election campaigns, providing support for candidates' campaign events and engaging in vote-buying, including sponsoring trips to China for voters.

It further alleged that the party filed petitions to disrupt opposition candidates' election campaigns, helped the CCP spread cognitive warfare messages through radio broadcasts, and infiltrated local organizations and temples to carry out Beijing's united front activities.

As examples of what it described as cross-border repression, the ministry cited several violent incidents allegedly involving CUPP members, including a 2019 attack in which Hong Kong singer and activist Denise Ho (何韻詩) was splashed with red paint, a violent clash at a "Sing! China" event at National Taiwan University, and a confrontation involving Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong (黃之鋒) at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport in 2017.

The ministry also said multiple CUPP members had been implicated in organized crime and indicted for alleged violations of the Act Governing Relations Between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area, the National Security Act and the Anti-Infiltration Act.

Citing the Additional Articles of the Constitution, the ministry said a political party may be deemed unconstitutional if its goals or activities endanger the existence of the Republic of China or undermine the nation's free and democratic constitutional order.

Under the Political Parties Act, the competent authority may gather relevant evidence and petition the Constitutional Court to dissolve such a party, the ministry said.

CUPP Party Chairman Chang An-le (張安樂), a former leader of the local Bamboo Union triad, said at a July 30 press conference that the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) should be held to the same standard.

Chang said the CUPP would prevail in the case and announced that the party would also launch an initiative to seek the dissolution of the DPP.