Editorial: No foolhardy referendums for now

On Saturday President Chen Shui-bian proposed to have a "defensive referendum" on election day next March. No details were given of what question would be asked. And indeed Chiu I-jen wants to know from voters what they think the question should be about. Now the obvious thing about the defensive referendum is this, that it was to concern sovereignty and it was only supposed to be used when Taiwan was under imminent threat from China. Chen says that we can hardly wait until China attacks before trudging off to the polls. True enough and for this reason many of us wondered what the point of the "defensive referendum" clause was. Chen argues that Taiwan is in a permanent state of threat which justifies calling a defensive referendum at any time. This is foolish and antagonistic and can only damage Chen in the election campaign.

For a start Taiwan is simply not in a state of "imminent threat." Taiwanese realize the danger that China poses, but they do not think this is a danger that is likely to turn very ugly very quickly. What might turn it ugly, in fact, is Chen's call for a sovereignty vote. Taiwanese are likely to interpret Chen's call as a semantic trick which could put them in very real danger. They will not like this. And the US will conclude that everything it has heard about Chen being irresponsible in provoking China if he can thereby gain some election advantage is, in fact, true. How smart is that?

It is true that Taiwanese will back their leader in a crisis with China, as they did in 1996. But that crisis was brought about by Lee Teng-hui doing something, and something very simple, that almost all Taiwanese thought he should be able to do -- go to the US to receive an award from Cornell University. Taiwanese rallied behind Lee because they saw China's reaction as utterly unreasonable. When China goes ballistic -- hopefully not literally -- over Chen's referendum call, they will see it as a predictable reaction to a foolhardy policy, for which Chen will be punished at the polls.

The main point of the referendum law, and one which almost nobody has commented on so far, is that the old model for unification which China has long cherished is now impossible. Beijing has thought reunification was possible as an agreement between two ruling cabals -- it has thought party-to-party negotiations sufficient. It has of course been buttressed in this misapprehension by reaching agreements about the return of Hong Kong and Macau with their colonial overlords without even the hint of an attempt to seek the views of the luckless inhabitants of those territories concerning their future.

Now Taiwanese people have been given the right to vote directly on issues of national importance. It is simply absurd for the pan-greens moaning about the "birdcage" referendum law to think that the Taiwanese people will be denied a say on the greatest question of all, however restricted the current law might be.

This means that China has to change its policy. If it really wants unification as much as it claims, it has to persuade Taiwanese that it would be good for them. After 50 years of wielding the stick it now has to try using the carrot. It is quite possible that this hasn't really sunk in in Beijing yet. And given the glacial way policy change occurs there it will be at least two years before we see any evidence that Beijing has mapped out the geography of the new playing field. During this time Taiwan should refrain from doing anything to interfere with this process. It should hold referendums on sensible topics to establish the process in voters' minds. It should leave sovereignty issues well alone.

Taiwan is a sovereign state

More than fifty years ago, the Chinese communists defeated the Chinese nationalists and established the People's Republic of China. The defeated Chiang Kai-shek regime fled to Taiwan. Instead of showing deep gratitude to Taiwanese for shelter, they imprisoned and shot dead hundreds of thousands of innocent Taiwanese, especially the social elite, for the convenience of its unjust rule.

The so-called Republic of China (ROC) could neither represent China nor Taiwan and finally lost its seat in the UN to the real China in 1971 and the presidential election of 2000 to Chen Shui-bian. As the French King Louis XIV once said, "I'm every inch a king." Taiwan, with its elected president, its land, its people, and its jurisdiction, is now every inch a sovereign state.

But, alas, a tiny state with only about 20,000 people like Nauru is a member of the UN, while Taiwan, a country of more than 23 million peace-loving and hard-working people, has long been denied admission to the UN simply because of China's impervious blockade.

The UN, which should be a beacon of peace and justice, had to succumb to expediency and the threat of China. No wonder the once-exiled Russian writer Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn years ago characterized it as "an immoral organization in an immoral world."

For the world today, "Might is right," yet the greatest American president, Abraham Lincoln, was of another opinion when he said, "Right makes might." Taiwan, a free and prosperous state, which can contribute much to some poverty-stricken countries through its material and human resources, does not owe anything to the UN.

On the contrary, the UN and the world at large indeed owe Taiwan justice and its moral support. Like a deserted orphan, Taiwan has long been expecting all your assistance and fair treatment.

Time to admit self-evident truth

By Cao Chanching

Monday, Dec 01, 2003,Page 8

"Taiwan's problem isn't the unification-independence issue. Rather, the real problem is that Taiwan needs to move toward truth."

In March, Taiwan will hold an historic third direct presidential election.

In contrast to Western democracies, where the political right argues with the political left over economic and social welfare issues and national defense and foreign affairs policies, the focus of the upcoming election will remain what it was last time, with almost every topic concentrating on the unification-independence issue.

In reality, however, it would be more accurate to say that Taiwan's problem isn't the unification-independence issue. Rather, the real problem is that Taiwan needs to move towards truth.

What is the truth about the two sides of the Taiwan Strait? The truth is that there is "one country on each side." One is despotic, dictatorial communist China, the other a free Taiwan moving towards democracy and the rule of law. This is a fact that is there to see for anyone who isn't blind.

But the government in Beijing doesn't rely only on news blockades and prison guards to threaten the Chinese people and forbid them to seek an understanding of and recognition of this reality; it also deploys missiles and relies on written attacks and armed threats to stop the Taiwanese people from declaring this reality in public and from highlighting it using their votes.

Everyone knows that the Republic of China (ROC) was founded in 1912. It has its own national flag, national anthem, currency, military and passport, and its own territory under its jurisdiction. Even Americans, like people from every other country, have to go through an international visa procedure when entering Taiwan. If this is not a country, then what is it?

The People's Republic of China (PRC), on the other hand, isn't only a member of the UN, but also one of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council. It is of course also a country. This is why former president Lee Teng-hui's proposal of the "special state-to-state" model for cross-strait relations wasn't an innovation. Rather, like the child in The Emperor's New Clothes, he boldly put words to a fact that was there for everyone to see.

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) stresses that Taiwan is part of China. It sees the PRC as the only representative of China and treats Taiwan as a rebellious province, accusing it of wanting and working for Taiwanese independence. The Chinese Nationalist Party [KMT] on Taiwan stresses that the ROC was founded first, and that it was the PRC, founded 38 years later, that first made a fuss over independence, working for "communist independence" and establishing a communist power in the ROC. According to this logic, the PRC and the territory under its jurisdiction are part of the ROC.

The result is a preposterous situation whereby the CPC and the KMT both stress that there is only one China, and that they are the representative of that China. They both include the counterpart's territory in their own national territories. Even more absurd, if either of the parties doesn't include the territory under its counterpart's jurisdiction in its own national territory, the counterpart won't play along.

This is the same thing as saying that although it is a fact that your possessions aren't mine, I still have to include them in my list of possessions; otherwise you will accuse me of preparing for our separation, completely ignoring the fact that we are already separated, that we have divided our homes and that we have led separate lives for over half a century. I don't think we would be able to find such a laughable situation, a situation so full of self-deceit, anywhere in human history.

The first thing Lee did after being elected president was to challenge this hypocrisy and prompt Taiwan to move toward truth. Through several constitutional amendments, he gave up the demand for jurisdiction over China's territory, gave legal recognition to the existence of the PRC and the People's Republic of Mongolia, threw out the map that included China and Mongolia -- called "the Begonia" -- that hung solemnly in the president's office, proposed "The ROC on Taiwan," abolished the National Assembly and froze the Fukien Province pseudo-government.

Through a green revolution, he peacefully made Taiwan take its first step on the road toward truth.

Today, Taiwan is facing the question of whether or not to advance further towards truth. The ROC was established over 90 years ago in China, at a time when it held jurisdiction over 35 provinces, but not Taiwan. Further, the Constitution was created in Nanjing in 1946, more than half a century ago, and it is out of step with reality. The ROC Constitution is a hat that was created for all China and does not fit Taiwan today. In other words, it is as false as that map that once hung in the presidential office.

KMT Chairman Lien Chan has recently emphasized that there is only one China, and that this China is the ROC. This is a completely outdated and laughable approach, a way of thinking that still sees the Begonia map. It is a matter of self-deceit, incapable of deceiving anyone else. According to Lien's logic, one China means the ROC. Then what is the PRC, with its population of 1.3 billion and still one of the five permanent members of the council? A province of the ROC?

This is why it is a perfectly reasonable thing when President Chen Shui-bian proposes a referendum to amend the Constitution. It moves Taiwan one step further toward what the former president of the Czech Republic, Vaclav Havel, called "living in truth."

In 1988, Taiwan removed bans on new political parties and newspapers, and vast political changes have since taken place. Two successful direct presidential elections have already been held, as well as several peaceful legislative elections. In many areas, Taiwan has also begun moving toward truth by eliminating the lies and traces of despotism remaining from the period of Chiang Kai-shek's dictatorship.

This, however, is a difficult process.

Not only does the CCP dictatorship mobilize the whole nation in its written attacks, military threats, and efforts toward unification and undermining and blocking Taiwan's move towards truth, but there is also interference and counterattacks from the conservative forces within the Chiang dynasty, who are trying to return to power and block Taiwan's move towards true democracy. The existence of these old forces can still be clearly experienced on any street corner in Taiwan.

The ROC flag is an obvious challenge to freedom -- the KMT party flag still sits there, amid the blue sky, white sun and red ground. Today, no democratic country in the world has a party flag as part of the national flag because this would be a symbol of the unity between party and state, and the unity between party and state is an obvious symbol of dictatorship.

After the Sept. 11 attacks in New York, I, like many Americans, hung an American flag in my home. There is no way the American people would accept having the party flag or party emblem of the Democratic or Republican party as part of their national flag. But in Taiwan, especially in airports, harbors or important government agencies, the ROC national flag, symbolizing the unity between party and state, is displayed, insulting every freedom-loving Taiwanese.

What's more, the same problem applies to Taiwan's national anthem, which also stresses the unity between party and state. Just like the "Three Represents" in China, the anthem stresses the three principles of the people in order to unify the public's thoughts.

These are all the vestiges of the old system, empty symbols that all should be reformed so that Taiwan one day can have a national flag and a national anthem demonstrating the spirit of liberal democracy, and a national name and constitution consistent with reality, making 23 million Taiwanese the true masters of Taiwan, and letting them live in truth.

Cao Changching is a writer and journalist based in New York.

Chen doubts Lien's reform stance

UNQUALIFIED: The president said that the pan-blue camp had stymied constitutional reform for so long that it should not be allowed to dominate reform now

By Lin Chieh-yu and Huang Tai-lin

STAFF REPORTERS

Monday, Dec 01, 2003,Page 1

The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) will not allow the pan-blue camp's "new thieves" to dominate constitutional reform in the legislature, President Chen Shui-bian said yesterday, three days after the pan-blue-controlled legislature passed a controversial referendum law that all but prohibits votes concerning national sovereignty.

He compared legislators of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT)-People First Party (PFP) alliance to members of the Legislative Yuan before it was reformed in the early 1990s who were elected from China but refused to give up their seats. At the time, these lawmakers were described as "old thieves."

"In April 1991, our former party chairman Huang Hsin-chieh once led the national movement of pushing for complete parliamentary reform," Chen said. "He had even been put in jail for leading a march advocating `people directly electing the president, opposing constitutional amendments by those old thieves' to awaken the public," Chen said.

"Since the DPP opposed those `old thieves,' the party will not be willing to see the `new thieves' dominating constitutional amendments," Chen said at a ceremony marking the fourth anniversary of the death of Huang.

In connection with the memorial service, an exhibition of photos and documents featuring Huang's dedication to the pro-democracy movement during Taiwan's martial law era is being held at DPP headquarters.

When reviewing the historical photos of democratic events Huang was involved in, Chen focused on one showing Huang and other DPP heavyweights holding a big banner during a march on Taipei City to advocate direct elections for the president and opposing "old thieves" amending the Constitution.

Before 1992, the Legislative Yuan and the National Assembly -- the main organ that amended the Constitution -- were organized to represent the entire Republic of China, and the majority of members were elected from China before 1949.

Chen said that drawing up a new constitution was the DPP's fundamental policy and the party would not trust the pan-blue camp, who had been an obstacle to the DPP's democratic reform efforts over the past few decades but now had the audacity to proclaim their devotion to constitutional reform.

"We don't want constitutional amendments as advocated by the opposition camp," Chen said. "What the DPP wants is to formulate a brand new constitution that fits Taiwan's present reality and strengthens its young democracy."

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Lien Chan had little to say about Chen's accusations about KMT lawmakers, but went on the offensive over Chen's threat to hold a referendum on March 20 regarding as yet undefined sovereignty issues.

Lien said that the KMT-PFP alliance would make no further response to Chen's referendum plan if the president retracts the proposal. He said that the pan-blue camp would not fall for the trap set by Chen and reconsider the Referendum Law passed last week in the legislature.

Speaking to a crowd gathered at a KMT-PFP alliance campaign rally last night at Panchiao Stadium, Lien accused Chen of using radical rhetoric with animosity. Lien warmed him to "abide by the rules of the game" and not provoke Beijing with the hope of getting elected on the back of Beijing's menacing responses.

Quoting the terms in the recently passed Referendum Law regarding a "defensive referendum," under which "the president is entitled to initiate a referendum on national security issues when the country faces external threats to its security and changes in its sovereignty," Lien questioned Chen's proposal by asking, "Has [our country's] status quo changed?"

"Chen has no reason -- except for his election campaign -- to cross the red line of the international community, force Taiwan to face Communist China's military threat and generate an excuse for China to attack Taiwan by force," said Lien, who is challenging Chen in the presidential election to be held on March 20 next year.

"It is harder to guard against the president than against a thief," Lien said.

Lawmakers warn against spies

BIGGER THREAT: DPP legislators said yesterday that China has stepped up efforts to infiltrate Taiwan, including recruiting or `buying' Taiwanese cells to work for them

CNA , TAIPEI

Monday, Dec 01, 2003,Page 2

Legislators from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) yesterday called for heightened vigilance against Chinese spies infiltrating Taiwan in the run-up to the presidential election on March 20 next year.

The recent discovery of a number of alleged spying incidents involving professionals from Taiwan's Military Intelligence Bureau (MIB) and the military's Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology (CIST) shows that Chinese intelligence authorities have accelerated their efforts to infiltrate Taiwan by recruiting or "buying" Taiwan cells to work for them, according to DPP Legislator Trong Chai.

Chai and four other DPP legislators released a joint statement calling for the government to keep a closer watch against the growing tendency of Chinese infiltration. It said that since Taiwan's power transition in 2000, Chinese intelligence-gathering individuals have infiltrated the country's political, military, administrative and legislative systems in attempts to collect vital information that could undermine Taiwan's national security and overall development.

The statement said that Chinese intelligence authorities contact their Taiwan agents overseas and have established cells in Taiwan. These cells have been working inside important organizations such as the MIB and the CIST and have gathered intelligence using threats or bribes.

Huang Cheng-an, a senior researcher with CIST's Second Department -- Taiwan's pivotal missile and rocket research and development center -- was arrested on Saturday on charges of allegedly supplying precision-guided weapons information to China and collaborating with others to establish a company in Egypt to sell information on how to produce such missiles.

It is alleged that Huang was also involved in negotiations for the sale of "smart bombs" and other weapons.

According to Ministry of National Defense (MND) sources, the 55-year-old Huang visited Egypt twice over the past year to meet Taiwan and Middle East munitions merchants to jointly produce smart bombs and other weapons to be sold to Egypt and other Middle East countries. However, ministry officials speculate that the plan to produce weapons fell through due to the failure of the principals to acquire key technology.

Huang, nevertheless, was found to have been negotiating, via go-betweens, with Chinese authorities to supply important information on the production of smart bombs and other missiles that he said he could obtain from the CIST at a cost of US$1 million, the ministry officials said.

Smart bombs first made their appearance in the 1991 Gulf War and since then they have been improved and are smaller and more accurate and are greatly sought after by the world's weapons dealers.

Military investigators suspect that Huang's ex-wife, to whom he was divorced only this August, is a Chinese intelligence agent who came to Taiwan some 10 years ago. Investigators believe that she navigated her way through key military establishments by having married at least three CIST researchers, including Huang.

Military investigators said that they are also suspicious that Huang's girlfriend, known to be an Internet-savvy individual whom Huang met online, could also be a Chinese spy.

Earlier this month, former MIB officer Tseng Chao-wen and current MIB officer Chen Suei-chung were detained for allegedly collecting intelligence for China.

According to MND officials, the damage that Tseng and Chen's spying activities might have done to the country has been contained at the lowest possible levels, since most of Taiwan's personnel data and warfare plans that they passed to China were either out of date or no longer pertinent.

Forum looks at the US' Taiwan security policy

BY MELODY CHEN

STAFF REPORTER

Monday, Dec 01, 2003,Page 2

A US security expert said yesterday US security policy regarding Taiwan has evolved dramatically over the past two years with the introduction of "strategic clarity" regarding US intentions should China attack Taiwan.

Retired Rear Admiral Michael McDevitt, now director of the Center for Strategic Studies in the US, made the comment at the Asia-Pacific Security Forum hosted by the Institute for National Policy Research in Taipei.

The forum's topic was "Global Governance in the Light of New Security Developments."

McDevitt said US President George W. Bush's comment on television to do "whatever it took to help Taiwan defend itself" was not a slip of the tongue, but a position advocated by both Bush, then a presidential candidate, and many of his senior advisors before the 2000 election.

"Strategic clarity is also involved in ensuring that Taipei un-derstands that a firm defense commitment if it was attacked did not give it a license to provoke Beijing and drag the US into conflict," McDevitt said.

But Christopher Hughes, director of the Asia Research Center at the London School of Economics, raised a question about the "strategic clarity" of US intentions if China attacks.

The US' stance on Taiwan's referendum issue has been very unclear, Hughes said, and China will expect more clarity on this issue when Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao visits Washington.

Beijing views Taiwan's introduction of a referendum law as President Chen Shui-bian's attempt to provide a legal foundation for the country's independence, while the government here reiterated referendums are necessary steps toward a deeper democracy.

Ralph Cossa, president of the Pacific Forum Center of Strategic International Studies in Honolulu, said what the US intended to do regarding referendums is to stay out of Taiwan's politics, because it thinks any comments would probably be misinterpreted and used incorrectly by both China and Taiwan.

"That's smart politics. It's not a matter of ambiguity or clarity or anything else," Cossa said.

One of the most insightful things that was said, according to Cossa, was: "Lee Teng-hui used surprise as a strategy. Chen uses it as a tactic."

"I believe the US tried to change from strategic ambiguity about China-Taiwan to strategic clarity and making it very clear to Taiwan that we will help defend the nation. But we do not support independence. The problem is Taiwan only hears what it wants to hear," Cossa said.

Cossa said there has been the perception in Washington that Chen has been waving a red flag in front of Beijing, hoping to illicit the type of reaction that would spark a nationalist reaction in Taiwan that would gain him votes in the upcoming election.

"There are some risks involved in the current activity, which could result in the US concluding that Chen is becoming a troublemaker. That would not be in Taiwan's best interest," Cossa said.

David Brown, associate director of the Asian studies department at Johns Hopkins University, said the US needs to be clear with China that the use of force is unacceptable.

"Some people have tried to describe what the Bush administration is doing right now as dual clarity. It has been clear with China: `Don't use force.' They are trying to be clear with Taiwan: `Don't change things unilaterally,'" Brown said.

Media guru defends himself online

FIGHT: Lin Kuei-you claims he brought the talk show to Taiwan and invented the word `infotainment,' but he is now more famous for being accused by a PFP lawmaker as being behind the `Special Report' series of VCDs

BY CODY YIU

STAFF REPORTER

Monday, Dec 01, 2003,Page 3

"Some people have already learned to use VCDs and the Internet to voice their opinions, and this, I think, is truly the people's triumph."

－Lin Kuei-you

A prominent media figure has found a novel use for the Internet -- as a means to defending his good name.

Lin Kuei-you, better known as Yufu, has more than 20 years of experience in both newspapers and television and is also an award-winning political satirist. Disappointed by what he saw as the "dumbing down" of the media, Lin retired from public life a year ago and redirected his focus to digital animation.

Little did Lin know, however, that his new-found sanctuary would be shattered in a burst of media exposure after People First Party Legislator Chiu Yi accused Lin of being the brains behind the controversial Special Report series of VCDs.

Lin started his journalism career in 1982 at the Chinese-language China Times before switching to The Independent Evening Post in 1987. In 1994, after the ban on setting up new media establishments was lifted, he helped found three TV stations and was the harbinger of call-in news talk shows in Taiwan.

"I am the founding father of TVBS, Super TV and SET TV, brought the TV call-in show to Taiwan," Lin said. "However, I became so disappointed with the low-standard of TV media that I declared my leave of absence a year ago."

That leave of absence was dramatically interrupted last month.

On Nov. 14, Chiu named Lin and three others as being the main figures behind Special Report. Although all four denied Chiu's accusation, the PFP lawmaker refused to retract his accusations and even threatened to take legal action.

On Nov. 21, however, an investigation carried out by Chiu revealed that the four did not participate in the production of the VCD, forcing the lawmaker to offer a public apology.

"My first response to the accusation was to turn of my cellphone and turn down all interview requests," Lin said. "From my professional journalism experience, I knew very well that the media was not interested in my clarification, but in the sensation of aggressive news reporting."

Instead, Lin sent two long and heartfelt letters to 1,700 people on his e-mail.

"Everyone on the mailing list is an acquaintance who I often forward my articles and satires to," Lin said. "In my time of crisis, this mailing list became a powerful weapon. If everyone on my mailing list forwarded my letters to two others, then a lot of people would have received my messages. Furthermore, the electronic media also heavily publicized my letters. Spreading an online clarification is just a way of defending oneself."

Lin's first letter, sent out the same day he heard Chui's accusation, described how he traced the origin of the rumor. To Lin's disappointment, he learned that it had been circulated by long-time media friends.

The letter read, "Dear friends, I was terribly saddened by the betrayal of certain old friends. In a society where everyone climbs on the bandwagon, how far should human nature be twisted?"

Six days later, Lin sent out his second letter, in which he criticized the media circus surrounding the accusations.

Lin wrote, "Only 5 percent of the Taiwanese population has actually watched Special Report, and yet those who have not watched the VCD series have made many commentaries on TV, where the words of James Soong and Chiu become the basis of their commentaries. It is as if people who have never watched a movie branded the movie vulgar outside the cinema."

Lin felt that his ultimate vindication was down to the rising power of Internet users.

"Since I have given up my high-paying job at the TV station, fame does not appeal to me anymore, and yet I suddenly became the center of attention because of something said by a few politicians," Lin said. "I do not think I have benefited from such fame."

Lin said that by spreading information online, the Internet can outperform mainstream media outlets.

"Some people have already learned to use VCDs and the Internet to voice their opinions, and this, I think, is truly the people's triumph," Lin said. "It is a battle between David and Goliath."

Lin also said that the VCD incident showed that mainstream media influence is on the wane.

"To talk about who benefits the most in this event, I think it is better to say that the victory goes to the disintegration of the values held by the mainstream media," Lin said. "Long live the Internet!"

Although the ban on new media has been lifted, Lin said that freedom of speech still could not be fully exercised today.

"After the ban was lifted, many cable TV stations were established," he said. "However, when a group of youngsters decided to step out to poke fun at politicians and the media, they found themselves facing a slander lawsuit. Even though the current ruling party is the Democratic Progressive Party, the tyranny of the Chinese Nationalist Party still shrouds our society -- this is a national tragedy."

Lin claimed he had coined a new term to describe Taiwan's gossip-loving media.

"Taiwan's media lacks public discussion, and yet is full of stories about nobodies," he said. "For instance, between a story about a female legislator showing her belly in public and a story about labor insurance which affects the lives of millions of workers, the first made headlines. Do you think such a phenomenon is called true news reporting? I think Taiwan's media does not provide viewers with information nor entertainment, but infotainment."

In Lin's second e-mail, he highlighted the decline of the media.

"Most media outlets pick only the sensationalist elements to make up the stories they want to present," he wrote. "However, through the publicity of 4 million online friends, words spread like fire. As a result, I had some room to backslide. It is rather sad that the Internet was the only channel to save myself from this media embroilment, but this method is indeed quite effective."

Hsieh arrives to serve jail sentence

BEHIND BARS: Former judge Hsieh Chi-ta was taken into custody upon her arrival in Taiwan to begin her jail time, but issued a statement claiming she is innocent

By Jimmy Chuang

STAFF REPORTER

Monday, Dec 01, 2003,Page 4

"What she did was a bad example to the public. She has been a judge for 11 years and she is supposed to respect justice more than anyone. But she didn't."

－Cheng Chen-lung, a Taiwan Solidarity Union legislator

A former judge and New Party legislator returned to Taiwan yesterday to face a three-month jail term stemming from defamation charges, having decided against paying an NT$81,000 fine that would have allowed her to avoid imprisonment.

Hsieh Chi-ta  was handed the sentence on Dec. 12 last year following a defamation case between former president Lee Teng-hui's wife, Tseng Wen-hui, and three New party members: Hsieh, Elmer Feng and Tai Chi.

Hsieh, Feng and Tai had claimed that Tseng attempted to flee to New York after the 2000 presidential election with US$85 million in cash, but was turned back by customs officials.

Hsieh arrived at CKS International Airport on a flight from Beijing at 2:40pm yesterday and was immediately arrested as a wanted convict. The former New Party legislator had for 11 years been a judge at the Ilan District Court, Hsinchu District Court and the Taiwan High Court Hualien Branch.

After identification and a short interrogation at the airport, Hsieh was escorted to the Taipei District Prosecutors' Office to begin her jail term. Because she arrived on a weekend, Hsieh was to be temporarily housed at the Taipei Detention House in Panchiao and transferred to the women's prison in Taoyuan today.

Hundreds of New Party members gathered at the airport around noon yesterday to show their support for Hsieh, despite her fugitive status. Hundreds of police officers were on hand to keep order, but no incidents were reported.

As Hsieh walked off the plane, two policewomen arrested her. Before they escorted her to the interrogation room she was allowed to read an announcement to the press.

Hsieh, accompanied by New Party Chairman Yok Mu-ming and other party officials, said she would never give in to any unjust verdict.

"What she did was a bad example to the public," said Cheng Chen-lung, a legislator from the Taiwan Solidarity Union. "She has been a judge for 11 years and she is supposed to respect justice more than anyone. But she didn't."