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In a direct response to growing concerns over Chinese influence, Taiwan President William Lai Ching-te on Wednesday said that all Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) officials and party workers must submit reports to the party before and after any planned visits to China, Hong Kong, or Macau, or if they have held meetings with Chinese officials, Taipei Times reported.
Lai, who also serves as DPP chairman, emphasised that such transparency is essential amid escalating cross-strait tensions. As the political party that serves as a core defender of Taiwan's democracy and sovereignty, the DPP will also conduct training workshops to educate party officials and government-affiliated members on the importance of national security and the rule of law, Lai said. He urged DPP caucuses at both the legislative and local government levels to create internal regulations or systems that would instil stronger national security awareness among legislators' and councillors' assistants, reported Taipei Times. Lai warned that "foreign aggressors have stepped up measures to infiltrate Taiwan," noting that beyond cognitive warfare and "grey zone" tactics, there are recent cases involving DPP members allegedly colluding with Chinese spies. These developments, he said, highlight the need for the party to remain vigilant. "The DPP, which devotes itself to protecting Taiwan, is naturally the political party that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) would most want to infiltrate, not the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), which shares similar views with the CCP," Lai said. He added that the DPP's mission is rooted in protecting Taiwan's democratic government, and party members must embody the founding principles of integrity, diligence, and cultural grounding. He said that the actions of those accused of working with Chinese operatives "contravene what the DPP stands for and betray the nation's interests for personal gain," and that they must be held accountable under party rules, the legal system, and public scrutiny, Taipei Times reported. Lai made the remarks at the party's Central Standing Committee convention, where he also called on the DPP legislative caucus to support proposed national security and anti-infiltration amendments. (ANI)
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