Taiwan’s retired Army General Chen Ting-chi’s pro-Chinese remarks have sparked social controversy, and a lawyer has suggested that the law should be amended to regulate the words and actions of retired generals involved in undermining national dignity.
Former Taiwan Army Commander-in-Chief Chen Ting-chi said, “I am Chinese, a symbol of pride,” at a celebration of the anniversary of the reopening of the Army Officers School Alumni Association in Taiwan on September 29, and criticized President Tsai Ing-wen for her ignorance, distorting history, calling a deer a horse, and even arguing that Taiwan’s combat effectiveness is zero.
He also said that he is a true successor of the Whampoa (military academy), and that he is committed to defending the Republic of China, opposing Taiwan’s independence, and marching toward the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation in the 21st century.
In response, Taiwan’s Executive Yuan President Su Tseng-chang said he was surprised to hear such comments from a senior member of the National Army, and that the people of Taiwan should be united as one.
At a press conference held by the Taiwan Professors Association on Tuesday, Adjunct Assistant Professor of History at Tamkang University Mu-qun Cheng pointed out that while it is understandable that General Chen Ting-tsung identifies with China in terms of blood and culture, there is confusion over the national system.
He said, “Whether it is the Republic of China (ROC) or the current Republic of China (ROC), which is moving toward reform and democratization, and the People’s Republic of China (PRC) are in fact two different worlds and two different values.
Cheng Muqun also said that Chen Ting-chiao, a retired general, called out that Taiwan’s military strength is zero, which will not only have an impact on his subordinates in the military, but will also impact the hearts and minds of the people in Taiwan.
Taiwan’s opposition Ki-jin Party legislator Chen Bo-wei asked Retired General Feng Shih-kuan to strengthen the awareness of the enemy of retired generals when questioned by the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee of the Legislative Yuan on Monday, but Feng Shih-kuan replied that the single retired general’s statement does not represent the views of all retired generals, and that such news should be “not believed, not heard, and not spread.”
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has often destroyed democracy by democratic means, destroyed freedom of speech by freedom of expression, mixed inappropriate speech with cognitive dissonance, used various organizations to confuse specific groups and audiences, and dismantled the functioning of normal democracies, as seen recently in Australia, Canada, and the United States,” said Ziyun Su, CEO of the Center for Integrated Strategies and Science at Tamkang University.
Su adds that under constitutional democracy, people can have different preferences for political parties, but they cannot oppose the democratic system, especially in the face of enemies who threaten to destroy it.
He said, “A specific case is Article 3 (Section 3, treason) of the U.S. Constitution, which clearly states that similar actions are subject to very severe sanctions and are not within the freedom of speech guaranteed by the Constitution.”
Last year, Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan passed part of the “Regulations on Cross-Strait People’s Relations,” which explicitly states that retired deputy heads of government or major generals and above may not participate in political activities related to mainland China, and that those who commit acts that undermine the dignity of the country may be deprived of their monthly pension.
The amendment was prompted by public criticism in November 2016 when 32 retired Taiwanese generals and admirals (including Chen Ting-chao) went to China to participate in an event to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the birth of Dr. Sun Yat-sen, where they listened to a speech by Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and Chairman of the Military Commission, and stood up to salute during the singing of the Chinese national anthem.
At the press conference, Huang Diying, a lawyer concerned with political issues, suggested that in the face of the Communist Party’s infiltration and threats, as well as strengthening Taiwan’s democratic defense mechanism, the Legislative Yuan should continue to amend the law to include penalties for any retired general who speaks or acts that undermine national dignity.
In addition, he also said that he will propose a draft version 2.0 of the “Foreign Influence Transparency Act,” which will require people with specific public official status to undergo a certain degree of scrutiny if they explicitly or implicitly respond to the CCP.
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