Taipei Times
Date: May 24, 2016
By: Staff reporter / By Jason Pan
Minister of National Defense Feng Shih-kuan (馮世寬) yesterday sparked controversy at a
Minister of National Defense Feng Shih-kuan yesterday answers reporters questions at the Legislative Yuan in Taipei. Photo: CNA
meeting of the Legislative Yuan’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee by saying that he does not support Taiwanese independence.
Responding to questions by Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Huang Chao-shun (黃昭順), Feng stumbled into a political minefield with his comments on Taiwanese independence, saying: “I also have not heard President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) speak about [advocating] Taiwanese independence.”
Huang was questioning Feng on the US Pentagon’s latest report on China’s military developments, which was released on May 13. The report reiterated Washington’s position on maintaining the “status quo” on both sides of Taiwan Strait.
Huang cited parts of the Pentagon report that urged Taiwan to increase its defense spending, before asking Feng if he supported Taiwanese independence, adding that she felt distressed that she saw more bananas than Republic of China (ROC ) flags being handed out at Tsai’s inaugural ceremony on Friday. [FULL STORY]
