A retired Navy major and former lieutenant commander, Lu Li-shih (呂禮詩), recently traveled to China to tour a People's Liberation Army Navy vessel, publicly stating that he witnessed the PLA's advancement and that "feeling the motherland grow strong means Taiwan is safer." BecauseLu's rank falls below that of a general officer, current law has limited authority to address his conduct. Defense Minister Wellington Koo (顧立雄) said on the 27th that the Mainland Affairs Council had already submitted an amendment bill to the Legislative Yuan in December of last year, expressing hope that the legislation would be passed as soon as possible.
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Koo appeared before the Legislative Yuan for questioning. Democratic Progressive Party legislator Lin Chu-yin (林楚茵) noted that many constituents had contacted her in response to the Lu incident, arguing that taxpayer money should not support retired military officers who fawn over Beijing and kowtow to the CCP. She added that this was not Lu's first such incident: in November 2024, he attended China's Zhuhai Airshow and praised the PLA's strength; in 2025, he attended the September 3rd military parade, reportedly saying that the law could not sanction him. Lin asked what impact such conduct would have on active-duty service members.
Koo said he was both saddened and deeply contemptuous of the retired major's conduct, characterizing it as allowing himself to become a tool of the CCP's united front operations and a mouthpiece for an adversary, making remarks that grieve our own people while delighting our adversaries. He noted that the Mainland Affairs Council has proposed amendments to the Act Governing Relations Between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area. Current law applies only to major generals and above with respect to conduct deemed harmful to national dignity. Koo expressed hope that through the proposed amendment, a mechanism could be established to address such behavior at lower ranks, and urged the legislature to pass the revision promptly.
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Lin said that while defense budget discussions are ongoing, certain individuals are actively undermining them by praising PLA strength as a guarantee of Taiwan's security and referring to China as the "motherland." She described such conduct as blurring the line between friend and foe in a manner that aligns with CCP cognitive warfare operations. Under current law, regulations governing such behavior apply only from the rank of major general upward. A retired officer at Lu's level receives a monthly pension of at least NT$40,000 (approximately $1,250), payable for life upon completing 20 years of service. Lin argued this amounts to using Taiwan's own public funds to do the CCP's bidding against Taiwan's interests.
More reports from The Storm Media
Original Article in Chinese
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