Lawmakers Call for Apple Daily Investigation 台灣蘋果新聞網出售 外界憂中資疑慮

There have been calls to the government to strictly review buyers of Apple Daily Taiwan as there may be Chinese investors involved.

Lawmakers call on President Tsai Ing-wen and the National Security Bureau to form a task force to nullify the transaction. According to reports, Hong Kong entrepreneur Kenny Wee -- considered a PRC investor -- is the new owner of Apple Daily Taiwan. Lawmakers say this creates a crisis in which Taiwanese media is in danger of being infiltrated by the Communist Party of China, and it calls for a national security-level review.

Chen Jiau-hua, Legislator (NPP): “Why get into a business, if not to make money? Especially if it's a Hong Kong investor with no ties to Taiwan. It's a bit farfetched and unconvincing for the reason to be to serve Taiwanese society.”

Chen Si-hao, Spokesperson, Apple Daily Union: “We haven't received any information on who the new owner is. We will tell them we want to retain our employees.”

The Apple Daily Union says it does not know who the new owner is, and its main concern is ensuring the new owner complies with labor laws and procedures if there are layoffs. The New Power Party says Apple Daily publishes many exposes and celebrity stories, and its database, which contains information on politicians and whistleblowers, can't fall into the hands of the CCP as it would use the information as evidence in national security cases.

Tseng Ming-chung, Legislator (KMT): “The government needs to clarify if there are foreign or PRC investors involved.”

Chiu Chui-cheng (June 10, 2022), Spokesperson, Mainland Affairs Council: “Everyone has their own theories. The relevant parties should offer an explanation and a thorough investigation should be conducted.”

The Mainland Affairs Council, meanwhile, says Apple Daily is a branch of a Hong Kong-owned company and a change of ownership has to comply with laws in Taiwan.

立委喊話，總統蔡英文、國安會應立刻成立專案小組，阻止交易生效，台灣蘋果新聞網易主，傳出買家是17Live創辦人潘杰賢及香港商人黃浩，是否有中資介入引發外界關切。立委指出，這起收購案攸關台灣媒體深陷中共滲透危機，審查過程應拉高到國安層級。

時代力量立委陳椒華認為：「為了賺錢的目的恐怕微乎其微，商人如果不是為了賺錢，究竟是為了什麼？尤其是一位香港商人，對台灣並無情感的連結，如果說他是為了服務台灣社會，恐怕略顯牽強，難以服眾。」

蘋果日報工會發言人陳思豪表示：「買家的部分，我們工會目前沒有接獲資方任何的消息，就是會先跟資方就是說，希望能夠留住所有員工。」

工會坦言並不清楚新東家身分，面對接下來可能有大量解雇，會監督資方是否依法屢踐相關程序與義務。時代力量則表示，蘋果日報握有大量爆料內容跟名人資料庫，一旦落入中共手中，政要、吹哨爆料者的重要資訊全都露，恐成為中國國安法的定罪事證。

國民黨立委曾銘宗則表示：「有沒有中資，或是其他我們懷疑的外資，請政府依法去把它釐清。」

陸委會發言人邱垂正回應：「各界的種種疑慮，相關方面應該有所說明，依據權責做這個嚴格審查。」

台灣蘋果新聞網被外資收購，是否淪為「假外資、真中資」？陸委會表示，蘋果新聞網是港資在台分公司，經營權變更要符合我國之法規，相關單位收到資料後會依法處理，嚴格審查。