This Week in Taiwan 1017-1023
October 17: Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Huang Kuo-shu was reported by the media that he was an informant for the intelligence when he was a student. Huang was expelled from the New Tide faction of the DPP a few months ago. He posted an apology on Facebook on October 17 for his actions at the time and announced his withdrawal from the DPP and the DPP caucus of the Legislative Yuan. After his current term expires, he will not seek re-election, meaning that he is likely to withdraw from politics in three years. Huang's frank confession shocked both the ruling and opposition parties. It is rumored that several other members of the DPP were informants and are still active in the political arena.
October 18: The Foxconn Technology Group released three self-developed electric vehicle models, including an SUV, sedan, and electric bus, demonstrating the company's determination to become an emerging power in the automotive industry. More than half of all vehicle parts and components in these prototypes were sourced by Taiwanese suppliers. Foxconn's next goal is to establish a software research and development center and develop AutoCore OS, an intelligent software platform mounted onto vehicles.
October 20: Chu Yu-chen, a 26-year-old man who uses the name Xiaoyu on the Internet, was suspected of using "AI Deepfake" technology to transfer the headshots of Legislator Kao Chia-yu from Taipei, Councilwoman Huang Jie of Kaohsiung, and others into sex videos for sale since July last year, illegally profiting more than NT$10 million from a hundred victims. Chu was arrested by the police on October 17. Lawmakers are worried that the AI Deepfake technology may be used to declare war or impact national security by using the faces of the head of state or high-ranking officials. Director-General Chen Ming-tong of the National Security Bureau stated that he will endeavor to formulate a contingent standard procedure and invite platform and industry players such as PTT, Facebook, and Google to discuss proper responses.
October 22: Former DPP Chairman Shih Ming-teh alleged that founding Chairman Chiang Peng-chien was an undercover member of the Investigation Bureau, Ministry of Justice, triggering a rebuttal from Ambassador Frank Hsieh, representative to Japan. The debate extended to whether the 15 defense attorneys in the Kaohsiung (Formosa) Incident in 1979 were arranged as agents by the authoritarian Kuomintang. Many of the defense lawyers during that time are now active in the current DPP administration.
October 22: Rick Waters, deputy assistant secretary of state for China, Taiwan, and Mongolia in the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, stated at a think tank seminar in Washington that Taiwan cannot participate in the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the World Health Assembly (WHA) due to the People's Republic of China "misusing" Resolution No. 2758 of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed its sincere gratitude to the United States for supporting Taiwan's efforts to participate in the UN system.
October 23: The recall vote for Legislator Chen Po-wei took place, with 77,899 votes for yes surpassing 73,433 for no and a high voter turnout of 51.72 percent. Chen who was elected January last year as an anti-China candidate became the first legislator to be recalled in Taiwan's history. His Taiwan State-building Party also lost its only seat in the Legislative Yuan. The dismissal of Chen, who was backed by the ruling DPP, highlights the public's distaste with the Tsai administration.
October 23: President Kuan Chung-min of National Taiwan University (NTU) announced unexpectedly at a university meeting that he would not seek re-election beyond his current term. The reason is that he would be 66 years old at the end of his term, and he believes that generational change is necessary to let a younger president lead the university towards its centennial. After 354 days of turmoil securing confirmation by the Ministry of Education, Kuan finally took office as NTU president in January 2019. He is expected to leave office in January 2023. NTU will form a selection committee before March 2022 to select a new president.