The Roaming Specter of Martial Law Rule: Agents for the CCP and Amendment Bills to National Security Laws

The Roaming Specter of Martial Law Rule: Agents for the CCP and Amendment Bills to National Security Laws

United Daily News Editorial (Taipei, Taiwan)

July 11, 2019

 Translation of an Excerpt

Since President Tsai Ing-wen proclaimed in her New Year’s message to erect a “Democracy Protection Net”, the DPP government over the past seven months has devoted all efforts to build what it called an “integrated national security net.” Now that the revisions of the "five national security laws" have been completed, Tsai Ing-wen has taken a further step to proclaim that it would continue pushing for an amendment bill on "agents for the CCP." By means of a series of amendment engineering moves, the DPP is in the process of depriving people of the basic freedoms and rights guaranteed by the Constitution using the approach of boiling frogs in lukewarm water.

The "five national security laws" embrace amendment to five portions of the Statute Governing Relations Between People Across the Taiwan Strait, the National Security Act, the State Secret Protection Act, and the Criminal Code. Among these, many infringe on human rights, even disputes "stipulating penalties for specific persons"; however, in contrast to the scope and effect to be involved in the "agent for the CCP" clause in the Statute Governing Relations Between People Across the Taiwan Strait, all these are dwarfed in comparison. The DPP explains that the "five national security laws" aim at posterior remedy, while the "agent for the CCP" clause aims at anterior prevention; however, external circles believe that this looks more like the resurrection of "Article 100 of the Criminal Code" and the "Statute Governing Punishment of Sedition During the Period of Mobilization Against Rebellion” of the past era.

The greatest contention concerning this amendment bill comes from the ambiguity in definitions. The draft amendment bill would stipulate that people and civil groups in the Taiwan area may not be agents for the Mainland’s political party, government, military, or agencies, groups or personnel dispatched by the latter that involved Taiwan or affect national security or interests; however, what in the world is national security or interests, and which belong to related agencies or groups of the Mainland’s party, government, and military? Even what is an agent? Explanations are all lacking.

The draft amendment bill also enumerates that Taiwan people and civil groups may not accept any requests or instructions entrusted by the CCP party, government, military, and their agents for engaging in political propaganda that undermines national security; they may not attend conferences presenting resolutions or statements that undermines national security. The entire clause is filled with indeterminate concepts of "national security"; coupled with the more abstract "political propaganda", the draft amendment bill would strengthen the authority of the government to manage and control speech.

The DPP rose with anti-authoritarianism; however, now it emulates the authoritarianism of yesteryear. In order to attack its political foes, manipulate elections, consolidate political power, the DPP does not think of walking on the right path of democracy, instead it takes the treacherous anti-democratic path; what difference is there between the DPP and the CCP that the former claims to counter?

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