Thursday, April 20, 2023

Hou You-yi meets Singaporean ministers on his second day of Singapore trip

 Research, editing : Gan Yung Chyan, KUCINTA SETIA

News on Taiwan, Singapore, S0uth Korea, CCP

News (1) to (3) / Reporter : Huang Ziyang / https://news.ltn.com.tw/news/politics/breakingnews/4276971 , https://news.ltn.com.tw/news/politics/breakingnews/4276653 , https://news.ltn.com.tw/news/politics/breakingnews/4276588

News (1)

Who did Hou You-yi see on his private schedule in the morning? A senior official in Singapore issued a document announcing the names
  
Reporter : Huang Ziyang / https://news.ltn.com.tw/news/politics/breakingnews/4276971 , https://news.ltn.com.tw/news/politics/breakingnews/4276653 , https://news.ltn.com.tw/news/politics/breakingnews/4276588 Image : Desmond Lee issued a document confirming that he met Hou You-yi in the morning, and Desmond Choo was also present at the meeting. (Flipping photo of Desmond Lee's Facebook page)
李智陞發文證實早上與侯友宜會面,與會者還有朱倍慶。 (翻攝李智陞臉書)

New Taipei City Mayor Hou Youyi visited Singapore and arranged a private itinerary this morning (20 April 2023) but everything was kept secret, which caused many speculations. Singapore's Minister of National Development, Desmond Lee, posted on Facebook at 6.30 pm to confirm that he met Hou You-yi in the morning. The participants also included Desmond Choo, Mayor of the Northeast District, and Lim Eng Hwee, Director of Urban Redevelopment Authority.

Desmond Lee said that he received Hou You-yi's team at the Singapore City Exhibition Hall of the Urban Redevelopment Authority this morning. The two sides had an in-depth conversation on various important issues facing Singapore and New Taipei City, including sustainable urban development, housing, water management, and their respective efforts to achieve carbon emission targets.

Desmond Lee pointed out that the two sides also shared their respective experiences in promoting the community, motivating residents to support disadvantaged communities and promoting sustainable environmental development. He thanked Hou You-yi for coming to Singapore and providing the opportunity to learn from each other.

Hou You-yi was tight-lipped about his private schedule in the morning. During the interview, he only said that he had met with the public and private sectors. As for whether he would meet with Lee Hsien Loong, he respects Singapore for revealing the people he will meet.

Afterwards, it was reported that the media captured images of the CCP ambassador to Singapore, Sun Haiyan, entering and leaving the Shangri-La Hotel where Hou You-yi stayed in the morning, triggering outside speculation about the meeting between the two parties, which Hou You-yi sternly denied. The person to meet for his private itinerary was finally revealed through Desmond Lee's post in the evening.

Hou You-yi also said on Facebook that he met Desmond Lee, Desmond Choo, and Lim Eng Hwee early in the morning. They exchanged ideas on green cities, green buildings, and net-zero carbon. With such experience, the platform has been affirmed by everyone.

Hou You-yi thanked Desmond Lee for his reception. He said that both sides have gained valuable experience on the basis of mutual benefit. In the future, everyone will move towards the goal of zero carbon emissions. He also invited everyone from Singapore to participate in the Taiwan Design Exhibition sponsored by New Taipei City in October 2023, and visit the brand new New Taipei City Museum of Art. In addition, the 2025 World Senior Games will be held in New Taipei City and Taipei. Desmond Lee and others are also welcome to learn more about the essence of Taiwanese culture.

News (2)

Will Hou You-yi meet Lee Hsien Loong and Lawrence Wong during his Singapore trip? Hou You-yi: Respect Singapore's arrangement
  
Reporter : Huang Ziyang / https://news.ltn.com.tw/news/politics/breakingnews/4276653Image : Whether it is possible to meet with Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong or officials of the same level, New Taipei City Mayor Hou You-yi said that all arrangements will be respected. (file photo)
是否可能與新加坡總理李顯龍或同等層級的官員會面,新北市長侯友宜表示,一切尊重雙方安排。(資料照)

New Taipei City Mayor Hou Youyi is in Singapore today (20th), and the outside world is concerned about whether Hou Youyi may meet with Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong or officials of the same level. The media asked, did Hou Youyi meet the current Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore and Prime Minister's successor Lawrence Wong during the undisclosed itinerary in the morning? Hou You-yi said that Singapore must be respected whether or not to announce it to the public.

Questions from the media, Taiwan is the most dangerous flash point for the US-China conflict, and Singapore has never taken sides. Should Taiwan do the same, taking the interests of its citizens into consideration? Hou You-yi said that the international community is concerned about peace in the stable region of the Taiwan Strait, protecting the Republic of China, and loving Taiwan are the common goals of being a member of Taiwan. Therefore, to avoid conflicts between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait, dialogue should be conducted in an equal, dignified, and friendly manner, and pragmatically communicate and walk out of the avenue of peace.

People's Party Chairman Ko Wen-je and Democratic Progressive Party presidential candidate Lai Ching-te have met with AIT Chairman Rosenberger. Hou You-yi was asked if he had plans to meet Rosenberger as well. He said that because he was in Singapore, all the itineraries would be arranged by his secretary. It is handled by the International Section of the unit.

News (3)

Meeting with the Chinese ambassador to Singapore? Hou You-yi himself responded
  
Image : New Taipei Mayor Hou You-yi led a delegation to visit Singapore on 19 April. (Central News Agency)
新北市長侯友宜19日起率團到新加坡參訪。(中央社)

New Taipei City Mayor Hou You-yi led a delegation to visit Singapore on the 19th. Some media captured images of Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Ambassador to Singapore Sun Haiyan entering and leaving the Shangri-La Hotel where Hou Youyi was staying this morning (20 April), triggering outside speculation about the meeting between the two parties. When Hou You-yi was interviewed in Singapore earlier, he sternly responded, "There is no such thing at all."

Earlier, Zhang Qiqiang, deputy secretary-general of the New Taipei City Government, denied the meeting between the two parties, emphasizing that "there was absolutely no meeting with any member of the New Taipei delegation, not a single one! No matter the form, time, or anything!" Zhang Qiqiang said that the New Taipei delegation did not meet with Sun Haiyan in any form, as to whether it is true that Sun Haiyan went to Shangri-La, and what purpose she went to Shangri-La, the New Taipei City Government does not know.

Zhang Qiqiang said that the visits of important officials from Taiwan to countries with diplomatic relations with mainland China, especially the meetings with important local officials, have always been valued by the Chinese Communist government; He said that there were precedents in the past, that is, an ambassador of the Chinese Communist Party personally attended the scene to guard against any breakthrough. Being deliberately photographed by the media not only expresses seriousness and responsibility, but also expresses concern about the matter, which is not impossible.

Zhang Qiqiang pointed out that this also shows Taiwan's diplomatic difficulties. As long as it helps Taiwan go out, it should be viewed positively and encouraged. You can quarrel at home, but when you go out, you are the Republic of China, which is "one family" .

Since the first Koo-Wang talks were held in Singapore in April 1993, which was of great significance to cross-strait relations, the political implications of Hou Youyi's trip to Singapore have attracted much attention. Hou Youyi did not announce the list of officials who may meet during this trip. He arranged an undisclosed itinerary yesterday morning, and did not disclose to the media who he would meet with. He only said that he had exchanges with some public and private departments and "respected all arrangements made by Singapore."

News (4)

Expedition or free travel? Zhuo Guanting criticizes Hou You-yi's visit to Singapore for unclear content
  
Reporter : Gan Menglin / https://news.ltn.com.tw/news/politics/breakingnews/4276155Image :New Taipei City Councilor Zhuo Guanting criticized Hou You-yi's visit to Singapore for unclear information and contemptuous attitude. (Taken from Zhuo Guanting's Facebook page)
新北市議員卓冠廷批評,侯友宜出訪星國相關資訊交代不清,態度輕蔑。(取自卓冠廷臉書)

New Taipei City Mayor Hou You-yi started his trip to Singapore on 19 April 2023. He only got a vague response, and he could not help criticizing: "Is it the city government's inspection or Hou Youyi's free travel?"

Zhuo Guanting said that in January this year, he asked Deputy Mayor Xie Zhengda whether the city government had planned a trip abroad, and Xie replied no; in March, Councilor Yan Weici also wrote to ask if there was any trip plan, but he also received a negative answer.

Zhuo Guanting said that after Hou You-yi confirmed that he would visit abroad a few days ago, he formally asked the city government to provide planning information and inquired about the itinerary of the visit. ...and other areas of communication,...Singapore company departments including Nanyang Technological University..." A series of vague responses, to which he also criticized: "Where are you going someday? Don't tell me? You really have a personality."

Zhuo Guanting went on to say that he also asked about the funding and source of the visit, only to be answered: "The relevant funds are covered by the city government's budget." There was no clear response to the total funding or the source of the funding. He asked about the planning process of the trip and the date of the decision, but he received no response at all.

Zhuo Guanting criticized that these 3 points of information should have been available long before the visit, and Hou treated the parliament as casual and replied a bunch of nonsense with a contemptuous attitude. He pointed out that information about President Tsai Ing-wen’s trip to the US Reagan Library to give a speech, where to award awards, and transit in New York and California was provided in advance. Hou You-yi travels freely"?
新北市議員卓冠廷批評,侯友宜出訪星國相關資訊交代不清,態度輕蔑。(取自卓冠廷臉書)

Image : New Taipei City Councilor Zhuo Guanting criticized Hou Youyi's visit to Xingguo for unclear information and contemptuous attitude. (Taken from Zhuo Guanting's Facebook page)


Updates

Hou Youyi still has no public itinerary in the morning of the third day of his visit to Singapore, rumoured to leave the hotel by car
  
New Taipei Mayor Hou Youyi has not yet arranged a public itinerary in the morning of 21 April 2023. According to rumours, Hou Youyi left the hotel by car at around 9 am, accompanied by Rao Qingyu, head of the secretariat. People familiar with the matter revealed that today is the focus.

Hou You-yi will visit the SQInnovate Singapore innovation agency at 2 pm of 21 April 2023, which aroused speculation from the outside world, wondering if Hou Youyi met with senior officials of Singapore, or Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong in private.



News (5)

Chinese Overseas Chinese Leader Wang Haijun arrested in South Korea for involvement in CCP’s Secret Police Station

Editor : Li Chengyu / https://www.ntdtv.com/gb/2023/04/20/a103695286.html / Image : On 29 December 2022, Wang Haijun, the real controller of the Oriental Pearl Restaurant in Seoul, who was accused of being a stronghold of the CCP’s overseas secret police station, read a statement outside the restaurant. (Jin Minguo/The Epoch Times)

涉中共秘密警察站 在韩中国侨领王海军被抓

The United States recently destroyed a CCP overseas secret police station. The South Korean government also arrested a Chinese overseas Chinese leader on charges of illegal business operations. This person was also exposed earlier to set up an overseas secret police station for the CCP.

Yonhap News Agency reported on 20 April 2023 that Wang Haijun, a well-known Chinese overseas Chinese leader in South Korea, was handed over by the Seoul Songpa Police Station to the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutor's Office at the end of March due to suspicion of illegal operations.

Wang Haijun runs a restaurant in Seoul called Oriental Pearl. He is also the president of the Association of Chinese Overseas Chinese in Korea, the president of the Hanwha China Peaceful Reunification Promotion Federation, and the director of the Overseas Chinese Support Center (OCSC) in Seoul. The location of the Seoul Huazhu Center is located in the Oriental Pearl Restaurant.

Wang Haijun's Oriental Pearl Restaurant was accused of violating the "Food Hygiene Law" (without obtaining a business license) and the "Outdoor Advertising Law". At the same time, A, the representative of Oriental Pearl Tower, was handed over to the prosecutor's office.

The two were accused of continuing to operate the restaurant when their business license expired in December 2021. In addition, in December last year, after the restaurant was exposed as a CCP secret police station, a large electronic screen was installed on the outer wall without authorization in an attempt to clarify the suspicion.

The international human rights organization "Safeguard Defenders" (Safeguard Defenders) released a report in September last year, accusing the CCP of setting up secret police stations around the world. Anti-communists and sent them back to China.

The Korean media reported the matter extensively and questioned it in turns. Wang Haijun held a press conference on 31 December 2022 and denied it.

South Korea’s National Intelligence Service stated on January 5 this year that it has grasped the details and investigated whether the activities of relevant organizations violate international conventions and Korean laws, but it is not appropriate to disclose the specific content. The NIS also stated that Wang Haijun's defense at the press conference "to a large extent does not correspond to the facts."

The spokesperson of the CCP’s embassy in South Korea and the ambassador to South Korea took turns to defend Wang Haijun. The embassy also accused the South Korean media of "hyping" overseas police stations "out of nothing", and using "beauty tricks" in the "hype" to infiltrate South Korea, interfere in South Korea's internal affairs, and even mention the former CCP ambassador to South Korea by name.

On 17 April 2023, the U.S. Department of Justice indicted two residents of Chinese descent, accusing them of operating a CCP secret police station in Manhattan to monitor overseas dissidents. The two are Lu Jianwang, president of the Fujian Changle Association in New York City, and Chen Jinping, secretary general. The Changle Guild was also exposed by the human rights organization "Guardian Protection" as the location of the CCP's secret police station.

In September and December 2022, the Madrid-based "Protection Guard" issued two reports accusing the CCP of setting up more than 100 secret police stations in dozens of countries around the world to monitor overseas Chinese dissidents and even assist the CCP in forcing Chinese citizens to return home.

At present, the governments of the Netherlands, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Germany, Greece, Japan and many other countries have launched investigations into this.

The German government revealed last month that Berlin asked the CCP to close two illegal police stations in its territory, but Beijing refused. The Dutch media reported in October last year that there were two illegal CCP police stations in the country. The Beijing authorities denied it, and the Dutch government promised to investigate. The Irish government ordered the closure of a similar facility in Dublin the same month.

British Home Secretary Chris Philp said a few days ago that at least three CCP illegal police stations are reported to be operating in the UK, and the police are still investigating.

"Politico" reported that the CCP's illegal overseas police stations are not easy to find, because they are usually set up in seemingly legitimate enterprises or organizations, which serve as a cover for their actions and do not publicize their real purpose. Local insiders are also reluctant to report to the authorities for fear that the CCP will retaliate against them or their family members in China.

Some in Europe hope that New York's prosecution of Chinese residents suspected of running China's secret police station will help spur more action around the world.




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