Targeting the New Party Hurts Cross-Strait Relations, Gov’t Should Pursue Accountability & Prudently Handle the Aftermath

  Targeting the New Party Hurts Cross-Strait Relations, Gov’t Should Pursue Accountability & Prudently Handle the Aftermath

China Times Editorial (Taipei, Taiwan)

December 20, 2017

    Translation of an Excerpt

The Investigation Bureau under the Ministry of Justice conducted early in the morning large-scale searches on the residences of New Party spokesman Wang Ping-chung and three other members on the grounds of suspected violations of the "National Security Act," and took them into custody for interrogations. This is the first time that such high-profile searches, taking into custody and interrogations of opposition party figures has happened since Taiwan became democratized. What is even more embarrassing is that the interrogation with such fanfare lasted until midnight and the foursome were all “released”; apparently, the prosecutors and investigators did not find any concrete evidence of violations of the "National Security Act." Such cavalier actions on the part of the prosecutors and investigators was not only a blow to the credibility of the criminal justice system, it also caused an unnecessary shock to cross-Strait relations. The government must give an explanation to the public and pursue accountability of the prosecutors and investigators.

The New Party is a political party with a history of 24 years; although it currently has no seats in the parliament, it, however, has an exalted political voice in society; moreover, the New Party is diametrically opposed to the DPP in their political positions. The high-profile searches and the taking into custody of several New Party figures inevitably elicited criticisms of attacking dissidents; how could the powers that be not be more prudent? The prosecutors and investigators, however, infringed on human rights with great fanfare with a sword pointing to the New Party, but in the end the four were released. Obviously, no crucial evidence was obtained after the investigation; how could the Investigation Bureau shade the accountability of such serious misjudgment?

The prosecutors and investigators used a big cannon to hit the New Party, eliciting two misgivings: One is the DPP's mentality in establishing a "new authoritarianism" and even a "new dictatorship." If combined with the several recent bills that infringed on judicial power and freedoms, it leads the public to doubt whether the DPP is going to create the "Big Brother" in Orwell's fiction "1984." The second is causing unease in cross-Strait relations; Xu Jialu, former vice chairman of the Mainland’s Standing Committee under the National People’s Congress, is one of the figures among the Mainland leadership class that has the most friends from Taiwan and one of the most moderate to Taiwan. On December 19^th, he issued a stern warning in connection with the DPP government investigating pro-unification factions. As the Chinese saying goes, “a falling leaf presages autumn,” there may appear turmoil in cross-Strait relations.

If the DPP does not want to bear the infamy of a "new dictatorship," and does not want turmoil to appear in cross-Strait relations, then it must pursue the accountability of the cavalierness of the prosecutors and investigators. The forces of the midway that safeguard Taiwan's democracy over the long-term and the cherished cross-Strait peace should unite all the more to make its voice heard, condemning the high-handed abuse of authority on the part of the prosecutors and investigators, and the DPP government. 

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