Hsu Declines to Comment on Far Eastern Fine 徐旭東投書表態反台獨 憂「逢中必反」現象

Far Eastern Group Chairperson Douglas Hsu said for the first time that he opposes Taiwan Independence in an opinion piece he submitted to a newspaper. The article comes after a hefty NT$ 2 billion fine imposed by the Chinese government.

On Nov. 30, Premier Su Tseng-chang attended an opening ceremony taking place at Shangri-La Far Eastern, Taipei. The previous night, a tree-lighting ceremony was held at the hotel and attended by Far Eastern Group Chairperson Douglas Hsu. This was his first public appearance since his company was fined by China. He spoke frankly on stage, and appeared to be in a good mood. He declined to answer questions after the event. Instead, he sent a statement to the United Daily News. He called himself a veteran industrialist and expressed his concerns for Taiwan. He said he has observed that in recent years, any mention of China in Taiwan has been met with immediate opposition and this phenomenon appears to be getting worse. Hsu also said he opposes Taiwan independence. Su had to offer a response.

Su Tseng-chang, Premier: “When China decides that its own richest businesspersons shouldn't be seen anymore, they aren't seen anymore. When it says they're going to be fined, they're fined. When it says they're going to disappear, they disappear. The one-party dictatorship that is the Communist Party of China and its unreasonable actions and its pressure on our people and its attempts to encircle politics with business have been denounced by the entire world.”

The year-end referendums are approaching, and the Kuomintang legislative caucus says the Executive Yuan is violating administrative neutrality by telling people how they should vote. It boycotted the review of the central government's budget for next year and requested that Su apologize. In response, Su accused the KMT of being hypocrites for proposing referendums that were against the Executive Yuan's position and then warping the legitimacy of the Executive Yuan. He said that if salaries can't be raised for public functionaries, then the KMT needs to take responsibility.

Su Tseng-chang, Premier: “It is the duty and work of legislators to review budgets. They can't collect their salaries and not review the budget. The KMT needs to take responsibility if we can't show care for our public functionaries who are waiting for this budget to get salary increases.”

Eric Chu, Chairperson, Kuomintang: “It is using state funds to do the private bidding of a political party in so-called referendum propaganda and ractopamine pork promotion. I think this type of government is completely shameless. If there is no way even for the opposition party or legislature to supervise, then what's the point of having a legislature?”

KMT Chairperson Eric Chu supported his party's legislators and also fired shots at the Executive Yuan. Political parties are expected to continue crossing swords in the run-up to the year-end referendums.

 

行政院長蘇貞昌30日上午出席在香格里拉台北遠東國際大飯店舉辦的開幕活動，這個地點在前一天晚上舉行耶誕點燈儀式，集團董事長徐旭東親自出席，也是他遭到中國重罰後的第一個公開行程。他在台上侃侃而談，看起來心情不錯，但活動結束後卻低調不願受訪，反而投書聯合報，自稱資深工業人，表達對台灣的憂心，因為近幾年來台灣逢中必反的現象似乎有擴大跡象，並表態反對台獨。對此，蘇貞昌也有所回應。

行政院長蘇貞昌指出:「中國對於自己他最富有的商人，說不見就不見，說處罰就處罰，說消失就消失，中國共產黨這種一黨專政蠻橫動作，對我們國人施壓，又企圖以商圍政，都是被世界唾棄的。」

隨著年底四大公投逼近，國民黨立院黨團以質疑行政院違反行政中立宣傳公投，拒絕審查明年度中央政府總預算案，同時要求蘇貞昌道歉。蘇貞昌則反指國民黨矛盾，提出公投案，以行政院為反方，又對行政院的正當說明扭曲，若軍公教不能加薪，國民黨要負責。

行政院長蘇貞昌表示:「審查預算是立法委員的工作職責，領薪水不審查預算，卻讓這些等著要這些預算去照顧，包括軍公教加薪等等不能進行，國民黨要負責。」

國民黨主席朱立倫反批:「用國家的公帑來做政黨之私的，所謂公投的宣講，或者是來為萊克多巴胺來宣傳，我覺得這樣的政府實在是無恥至極，如果連在野黨或連立法院都沒有辦法監督的話，那還要立法院幹什麼。」

國民黨主席朱立倫力挺自家立委，炮火對準行政院，面對四大公投，藍綠持續交鋒。