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Updated Tuesday, December 13, 2011 0:39 am TWN, By Eric Huang ,The China Post |
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Declassified files reveal Tsai's role in TaiMed affairLawmakers at the Legislative Yuan yesterday summoned Christina Liu (劉憶如), minister of the Council for Economic Planning and Development (經建會, CEPD) and convener of the NDF to make public two previously classified documents. The declassified documents show the then-Vice Premier Tsai's signature and authorization on a deal with the American biotech firm Genetech to develop a new AIDS medicine known as Anti-CD4, which was in its third-stage clinical trial in 2007. As part the deal, Genetech, the wholly owned subsidiary of the Swiss pharmaceutical conglomerate Roche, was hoping to gain US$20 million dollars from its Taiwanese partner for the joint venture. The NDF purse-stringed the full amount once Genetech agreed that the new joint-venture company would do its research and manufacturing in Taiwan. According to the declassified documents, then-Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) also endorsed the first document, dated Feb. 9, 2007, on the joint venture plan. Only Tsai and Ho Mei-yueh (何美玥), chairwoman of the CEPD under the then DPP administration, signed the second document, which also carried a clause that the new joint venture would be named the TaiMed Group and later changed its title to TaiMed Biologic Co. Approved Without Specialist Scrutiny Liu said “although declassified, there is no way to tell why the NDF investment was approved so fast without specialist scrutiny.” All NDF investment plans are subject to detailed and lengthy screening by specialists before being approved to avoid possible scams, she added. During yesterday's public hearing, KMT lawmaker Chiu Yi (邱毅) said the key point involving the Yu Chang scandal lies in whether all necessary due process regulations were obeyed and whether there are possible conflicts of interest in the joint venture, considering the fact that Tsai chaired the company in September 2007, four months after she stepped down as vice premier. The KMT lawmaker suspected a violation of due process in the transfer of funds from the NDF to the company and questioned the role of Tsai's family in the venture, believing that Tsai and her family reaped huge profits from the sale. KMT legislative whip Lin Yi-shih (林益世) said although Tsai has not violated the “Revolving Door Clause,” (旋轉門條款) it is suspected that “Vice Premier Tsai authorized Chairwomen Tsai of TaiMed” in her favor. Open the 'Black Box' of Tsai: Wu Premier Wu Den-yih approved the declassification of the documents concerning the NDF's investment in Yu Chang. Wu said the declassification is in accordance to the Legislative Yuan's resolution. He stressed that the decision is in line with the public expectation to “shine light” onto the facts. Wu asked DPP Chairwoman Tsai “not to be scared” if she has nothing to hide, and hinted that Tsai will be subdued once her “black box” procedures involving her Yu Chang investment comes under investigation. In response to Tsai's accusation that the Yu Chang allegation is the KMT's red herring hoping desperately to cling to a lifeboat while drowning in the sea of the presidential election, Wu attacked Tsai's history of telling fairy tales. He cited previous incidents of Tsai dramatizing on the “King Solomon” story allusions of justice and the false self-reference to Robin Hood. Wu questioned Tsai's wealthy behavior and said she is nothing like Robin Hood. Comments December 13, 2011 lee@ Reply And we're supposed to believe the clown Chiu Yi, the spinmeister of the KMT. They (the KMT) must really be getting desperate that their horse is going to lose the race. But the more they struggle the deeper they sink into the quicksand. At the end of the day, if the KMT does lose the election, there's no one to blame but the horse's incompetence, mismanagement, and almost treasonous kowtowing to big brother China during the last 4 years. And anyone who votes for Ma is a masochist at best, and a loser with absolutely zero self-respect at worst. December 13, 2011 philippemckay@ The KMT must have known her name was there before "declassifying" the documents....or they wouldn't have bothered. December 13, 2011 dpp4sale@ They must ALL join Chen in prison, so that Taiwan will be a better place to live in. December 14, 2011 zazak1980@ Those who will vote for Vegetable lady are complete idiots!!!!Yes, let us enter a new corruption era and strained relationship with everyone, DDP is really good at that! December 14, 2011 ehummel100@ The biggest problem with the DPP is that it has no clear policy other than being "anti-China" and "pro Taiwan independence."The DPP's anti-China stance is extremely harmful to Taiwan. Had Taiwan been ruled by the KMT during 2000-08, you would've seen a large number of multinational companies pouring money into Taiwan and setting up offices in Taipei instead of going directly into China. Since the DPP refused to even open direct links between Taiwan and China, the multinational companies bypassed Taiwan and invested directly in the mainland. The result is dramatic economic growth in China turning into the world's 2nd largest economy today and predicted to become #1 within 20-30 years. If it wasn't for the DPP's anti-China position, Taiwan would've grown along with China, likely much more rapidly than it did in the 1980's. Instead, diplomatic and economic isolation caused Taiwan to stagnate while EVERY other Asian nation (including Australia) opened trade and prospered along China's growth. When the KMT came in power 4 years ago, they rushed to open direct links and sign economic agreements with China to make up for lost time thanks to the DPP's isolation but the opportunity was already squandered. Even though Taiwan joined the party too late, its economy still outperformed most western economies during the past 4 years given the financial crisis in 2008 and the European debt crisis this year. Many DPP supporters blame the KMT for weaker than expected growth without mentioning how much Europe and the US has been suffering. As long as Taiwan ties its growth to China (like every other nation has), the sky is the limit. It is much better to be at the table with everyone even if your seat isn't at the center, than to be not invited. As long as the DPP maintains this harmful anti-China policy, I will not support the DPP. December 14, 2011 wangphkimo@ Decent persons stand the test of time no matter the elections. | ||||||||||||||||||||
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