Taipei: Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) announced Thursday its intention to investigate the pro-Beijing remarks made by a retired Taiwanese naval officer at a Chinese military event. The MAC emphasized that such actions could amount to "cooperative activity" with Chinese authorities, which is prohibited under Taiwanese law.
According to Focus Taiwan, Lu Li-shih, a retired lieutenant commander, made remarks that the MAC considers "cooperative activity" during a visit to naval vessels in Qingdao, China. These remarks, reported by Chinese media, were made during an event celebrating the 77th anniversary of the Chinese navy. Lu's statements included sentiments such as "people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are one family" and "a strong motherland means Taiwan is safe."
MAC deputy head and spokesperson Liang Wen-chieh stated at a news briefing in Taipei that the council would collaborate with relevant agencies to conduct a thorough investigation into the matter. This investigation will determine if Lu's remarks violated Article 33-1 of the Cross-Strait Act, which forbids Taiwanese individuals and groups from engaging in cooperative activities with Chinese political or military entities without appropriate authorization.
Liang explained that Lu's repeated invitations by the Chinese side were due to his "propaganda value" as a former captain of a Republic of China (Taiwan) Navy vessel. The MAC sees Lu's statements as aligning with the propaganda efforts of the Chinese authorities. However, Liang did not provide a direct answer when asked if there was evidence that Lu was compelled to make these remarks, indicating that those involved would be required to give explanations during the investigation.
The investigation will also explore issues such as the existence of any quid pro quo and the circumstances under which Lu was invited to the event. Meanwhile, China's Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) defended the comments made by Taiwanese participants, describing them as expressions of "sincere national sentiment." The TAO criticized the Taiwanese government's proposed amendments to the Cross-Strait Act, arguing that they infringe on freedom of speech and suppress cross-strait exchanges.