黎智英遭拘捕，江主席：摧毀港人對港府的支持與信任
針對壹傳媒創辦人黎智英遭拘捕一事，中國國民黨主席江啟臣今(10)日表示，港府的作為正在摧毀港人對港府的支持與信任，他強調，新聞自由是民主法治的基礎，此事件更加顯示，外界與香港人民對於港版國安法的憂慮，以及對於管轄權擴權的擔心，對此我們感到相當遺憾！國民黨也要重申支持香港的民主跟法治。
江主席今天上午出席智庫舉辦「新冠疫情對全球與台灣經濟的影響與因應座談會」，會前接受媒體聯訪時做出上述表示。有關外媒報導，美國衛生部長來台灣，是要與台灣談在WHO之外的新國際組織，江主席認為，當前美國疫情還很嚴重之際，美國衛生部長來台灣，我們不能排除任何可能性。他表示，雙邊關係的變化，不只涉及台灣，也涉及美國內政，甚至是美陸關係的變化，特別是當前美陸關係持續惡化中，外交角力不是單純的個別國家利益考量而已。身為國家元首的蔡英文總統負責兩岸國防外交，處理涉及國家利益的外交事務上，必須要非常審慎。
至於與美方簽訂FTA議題，江主席表示，台美雙方陸續在經貿上談自由貿易協定的議題，但此時此刻揭露，如果沒有解決美豬、美牛的問題，就沒有辦法談，江主席認為，當衛生部長在台灣談台美衛生合作時，貿易代表在華府卻否決了雙方貿易合作，一來一往之間象徵的外交利益，以及各國自身國家利益考量，蔡政府在短中長期的布局上應該更加審慎思考，做好萬全的準備。
國內議題方面，針對高雄市長補選的選前之夜是否邀請前市長韓國瑜，江主席表示，距離投票剩五天，全黨上下包括歷屆黨主席、縣市首長等從政同志都已陸續到高雄幫忙輔選，選前之夜也已發出邀請，現在看大家各自行程的安排，我們也尊重競選總部在時間上與邀請上的規劃。媒體進一步詢問是否邀請前主席吳敦義？江主席強調，他與吳前主席都可以隨時溝通聯絡，上週四已經發出邀請，也與吳前主席辦公室確認過。
至於韓前市長擔心罷韓氛圍還沒有解除？江主席認為，高雄過去這段時間，人民的情緒是很複雜的，民眾所期待的是不應該讓高雄市民一天到晚在投票選舉，應該好好做事，這樣氛圍慢慢在形成中，他相信高雄民眾會選出一個真正關心高雄，真正為高雄做事的團隊跟市長。
有關陳其邁拒收反貪切結書，還反嗆藍營執政縣市長應該先簽？江主席指出，不論縣市長或從政人物，只要有貪腐都要接受法律制裁，他認為，要參選縣市長或公職人員，在反貪腐的簽署上沒有什麼好猶豫的，這與反空污一樣，這是大家的共識與價值，如果陳其邁願意簽署，我們會給他正面的肯定。
KMT Chairman Johnny Chiang on the Arrest of Jimmy Lai, the State of Taipei-Washington Relations, and the Aug. 15th Kaohsiung Mayoral By-Election
On August 10, 2020, before attending a conference on COVID-19 organized by the National Policy Foundation (國家政策基金會), the Kuomintang (KMT) Chairman Johnny Chiang (江啟臣) responded to three issues raised by the press: Jimmy Lai’s (黎智英) arrest in Hong Kong, the state of Taipei-Washington relations, and the 8/15 Kaohsiung mayoral by-election.
First, in response to the arrest of Jimmy Lai—founder of Hong Kong-based Next Digital (壹傳媒), who was accused of violating Hong Kong’s new national security law—Chairman Chiang emphasized that freedom of the press is the foundation for democracy and rule of law, and expressed that the latest actions implemented by the Hong Kong government have severely undermined public trust. The KMT reaffirmed its support for Hong Kong’s democracy and rule of law, Chairman Chiang said.
Second, Chairman Chiang responded to a foreign media report which stated that the main purpose of US Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar’s visit to Taiwan was to discuss the establishment of a new international organization to replace the WHO. Chairman Chiang stated that we could not rule out this possibility considering the severe COVID-19 situation in the US. The fluctuations of Taipei-Washington relations are influenced by the domestic affairs of either sides, and by deteriorating relations between Washington and Beijing, Chairman Chiang stated.
Regarding the possibility of Taipei entering into a free trade agreement (FTA) with Washington, Chairman Chiang stated that if issues regarding the restrictions of US beef and pork imports containing ractopamine residue could not be settled, they would hinder negotiations of an FTA. Furthermore, while US Health Secretary Azar was in Taiwan discussing Taipei-Washington health cooperation, US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer was in Washington rejecting the idea of an FTA. Chairman Chiang urged President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), who has power and responsibility in cross-Strait, defense, and foreign policy, to think carefully about her short-, medium- and long-term national strategies.
Third, responding to the Kaohsiung mayoral by-election on August 15th, Chairman Chiang stated that party’s former chairpersons and many KMT-affiliated elected officials, including city mayors, county executives, and legislators have been coming to Kaohsiung to support the KMT’s mayoral candidate Jane Lee (李眉蓁). When asked if former Kaohsiung mayor Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) and former KMT Chairman Wu Den-yih (吳敦義) would appear on stage at Lee’s campaign event on the eve of the by-election, Chairman Chiang responded that he would respected the planning of the campaign headquarters regarding scheduling and invitations. He added that an invitation had been sent to Mr. Wu through his retirement office last Thursday, and that he could communicate with Wu at any time.
Responding to the question of whether Mr. Han was worried about any negative influence from his recall, Chairman Chiang stated that the mood of Kaohsiung voters had been complicated since the recall on June 6. He believes that the citizens of Kaohsiung want to see a government that does what it ought to do, and that they do not want to repeatedly and endlessly go out to vote.
Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁), DPP’s Kaohsiung mayoral candidate, refused to sign the anti-corruption pledge and said that all KMT-affiliated mayors and county executives should have signed it first. Chairman Chiang pointed out that to anyone who wanted to run for public office should not hesitate to sign such a pledge, because anti-corruption is a shared and universal values.
(This is an abridged version of the KMT’s Chinese language news release.)
