Taiwan’s People Did Not Grow Up under the Threat of Authoritarianism

 Taiwan’s People Did Not Grow Up under the Threat of Authoritarianism

China Times Editorial (Taipei, Taiwan)

December 25, 2019

 Translation of an Excerpt

The dreadfulness of the "Anti-Infiltration Bill" lies in its unclear definition, extensive coverage, difficulty in verification, and extremely hefty penalties; it would easily mete out term sentences for 5 years or less, coupled with a fine of NT$5 million. Once enacted and implemented, the freedom of thought and freedom of speech protected under the Constitution would be restricted, leaving harms to the people difficult to amend. The "Anti-Infiltration Bill" is a vicious proposed law that could easily create wrongful and mistaken convictions. First, its definition of "sources of infiltration" is very fuzzy and could cover all government departments, social organizations, and state-owned enterprises on the Mainland. Even private enterprises on the Mainland have CCP party commissar organizations; thus, nearly all people or groups that engage in exchanges with the Mainland could possibly break the law.

Second, with regard to the so-called "instructions, entrusted missions, and financial assistance", as our public authority could not be exercised on the Mainland, the prosecutors and investigators could not investigate and verify the sources; for heaven’s sake, would we have to write to the government units on the Mainland to ask whether they did issue instructions? And what is the definition of "instructions"? Would the routine opening remarks delivered by the leadership at an academic seminar constitute accepting "instructions"? If no evidence of the source could be found, how would we proceed with investigation and evidence gathering? Even if we wanted to go ahead with the prosecution, what evidence would the judges use for handing down a judgment?

The DPP knows full-well that the "Anti-Infiltration Bill" would be difficult to implement, with serious sequelae, but would think nothing of trampling on democracy and sacrificing due process of law, the reason being, first of all, for hyping electoral prospects, and secondly for preliminary arrangements to clobber dissidents in the future. The proposed law would constrict the space for people's freedom of thought and freedom of speech, while also depriving everyone of their sense of security in freely expressing himself or herself. However, the people of Taiwan, indeed, did not grow up under threat; in the past, they toppled authoritarianism, and would not tolerate trampling by the powers-that-be in the future. Now, 67% of the judges have co-signed a statement against [Control Yuan member] Chen Shi-meng, hasn’t the DPP been awakened? Would it still want to continue to remake Taiwan into a state of Green Terror?

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