Taipei: The Ministry of the Interior (MOI) petitioned the Constitutional Court on Friday to dissolve the pro-China Chinese Unification Promotion Party (CUPP), citing alleged threats to national security and Taiwan's democratic constitutional order. MOI Chief Secretary Huang Chun-i and ministry official Cheng Ying-hung submitted the petition on the ministry's behalf.
According to Focus Taiwan, the ministry said the petition was based on allegations that CUPP members had violated national security laws and endangered national security, social stability, and the integrity of Taiwan's elections. The MOI accused the party of recruiting Chinese nationals married to Taiwanese residents to participate in activities directed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), expanding Beijing's espionage network by recruiting active-duty and retired military personnel, and arranging for them to travel to China.
The MOI further alleged that CUPP interfered in elections by channeling Chinese funds into election campaigns, supporting candidates' campaign events, and engaging in vote-buying, including sponsoring trips to China for voters. The party allegedly filed petitions to disrupt opposition candidates' election campaigns, helped the CCP spread cognitive warfare messages through radio broadcasts, and infiltrated local organizations and temples to carry out Beijing's united front activities.
The ministry cited several violent incidents allegedly involving CUPP members as examples of cross-border repression. These incidents included a 2019 attack in which Hong Kong singer and activist Denise Ho was splashed with red paint, a violent clash at a "Sing! China" event at National Taiwan University, and a confrontation involving Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport in 2017.
The ministry stated that multiple CUPP members were implicated in organized crime and indicted for alleged violations of the Act Governing Relations Between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area, the National Security Act, and the Anti-Infiltration Act. Citing the Additional Articles of the Constitution, the ministry noted that a political party might be deemed unconstitutional if its goals or activities endanger the existence of the Republic of China or undermine the nation's free and democratic constitutional order.
Under the Political Parties Act, the competent authority may gather relevant evidence and petition the Constitutional Court to dissolve such a party, the ministry explained. CUPP Party Chairman Chang An-le, a former leader of the local Bamboo Union triad, stated at a July 30 press conference that the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) should be held to the same standard. Chang expressed confidence that the CUPP would prevail in the case and announced that the party would also launch an initiative to seek the dissolution of the DPP.