高齡93的盧主義(李天福)前輩的近作: "保持自由台灣"
david chou
《國家安全戰略》是美國走向孤立與衰退的藍圖。
日本首相高市早苗近日表示，中國對台灣的攻擊或封鎖將對日本的生存構成威脅。如果台灣淪陷，解放軍將控制台灣週邊的海運航線和空域，危脅日本的生命線。因此，我尊重高市首相的見識和坦誠之直言。然而，台灣不能期待曰本的介入。習近平只要威脅以原子彈攻擊東京和大阪，任何美國總統都不會犧牲紐育以及華盛頓去保護曰本的城市。
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Appendix I
保持自由台灣
By 李天福
我是盧主義（Lo Chu-gi），筆名李天福（Li Thian-hok）。今天，我撰寫這篇文章，紀念台灣人之自由台灣(Formosans’Free Formosa) 簡稱3F成立70週年，並就台灣當今的困境及其未來前景發表一些看法。
3F於1956年1月1日在費城由我本人、放射科醫生楊東傑（Tom Yang）醫師以及賓夕法尼亞大學的三位研究生：林榮勳（John Lin）、陳以德（Edward Chen）和 林錫湖（Echo Lin）共同創立。 1955年秋季，我還在醫學院就讀。當我提出成立3F時，當時正在攻讀國際關係博士學位的林榮勳和陳以德提出了許多質疑和疑問，他們分別比我年長五歲和三歲。當討論陷入僵局時，總是楊醫師說：「我覺得主義是對的，我同意他的觀點。」如果沒有楊醫師的支持，3F組織根本不可能成立。
兩個月後，1956年2月28日，由廖文毅博士領導的台灣共和國臨時政府在東京成立。 1958年1月，3F 組織重組為台灣獨立聯盟（簡稱UFI）。 1960年，在王育德教授的領導下，日本的台灣學生成立了台灣青年社。 1966年，UFI發展成為全國性組織－美國台灣獨立聯盟（簡稱UFAI）。 1970年，UFAI與來自加拿大、歐洲、南美、日本和台灣的團體合併，組成了現在的世界台灣獨立聯盟（簡稱WUFI）。
3F成立不久，蔣介石政權便抹黑3F，稱其為企圖推翻國民黨政府的共產党組織。這引發了聯邦調查局（FBI）在1957年秋天的調查。當時我正在明尼蘇達大學攻讀政治學，在明尼阿波利斯與FBI宮員多次會面，最終說服他3F在致力使台灣成為一個民主獨立的國家，我們反對一切形式的獨裁体制，包括國民黨和中國共產黨。
1957年12月畢業後，我前往費城與3F會員開會，報告FBI的調查結果，並討論我們未來的行動方向。一些會員擔心我們可能違反美國法律，最後啷鐺入獄。John 提議解散3F。Edward建議停止鼓吹台灣獨立，轉而成立一個研究機構。我主張繼續3F的公開活動工作，因為我們現在已經與美國政府達成諒解，正式被承認是美國一個合法之組織。
幸運的是，三位年輕會員支持我的想法，我們決定以新名稱「台灣獨立聯盟」（簡稱「UFI）繼續推動台灣獨立運動。這三位成員分別是盧建和（George Lu）、楊基焜（Kenny Yang）和郭漢清（Larry Kuo）。
George 和Kenny與我同齡，他們是台中第一中學的同學。George出身於台中名門，他的父親曾擔任台中市工商會會長。他比我晚一年進入聖保羅的麥卡萊斯特學院（Macalester College）就讀，我們成為了終生摯友。大學畢業後，他在芝加哥從事進出口生意多年。Kenny的父親是楊肇嘉。他在北卡羅來納州大學學業後，在華盛頓特區擁有一家銀行並親自經營，直到退休。 2006年，我們在賓州Lansdale的住家慶祝3F成立50週年。楊醫師自台灣前來參加，Edward和他的妻子則從賓州西北部的伊利市趕來。Kenny從華盛頓特區來，和大家一起度過了非常愉快的幾天。
Larry Kuo比我大一歲。他畢業於台南第二中學，之後在伊利諾州的一所大學就讀。前世紀五、六十年代，他曾在美國國務院擔任日文翻譯和導遊。後來，他在東京的IBM日本公司工作多年，最後在加州退休。郭先生的家族在台南市中心擁有一棟五層的社交俱樂部大樓，名為「招仙閣」。
我今年93歲了。在3F的八位早期會員中，如今只剩下我一人。我常常懷念我的朋友和同志們，想起我們年輕時充滿熱情地幫助島上同胞的日子。事實上，正是因有成千上萬海外台灣人的無私奉獻，才能促成台灣的民主化。
習近平一直威脅要不惜一切代價奪取台灣。如果中國人民解放軍入侵台灣，最大的問題是美國是否會援助台灣。在思考這個問題之前，我們必要先了解當今美國面臨的許多異常情況。
美國經濟被對人工智慧（AI）基礎設施的巨額投資所主導，而這些投資又依賴循環私人債務。一旦人工智慧的效益未能如預期實現，人工智慧泡沫就可能引發股市崩盤。關稅的徵收導致世界貿易重心從美國轉移，使美國陷入孤立。關稅也導致通貨膨脹，並損害了許多小型企業的生存。即使在經濟繁榮時期，美國國債也持續攀升，而政府似乎也不關心其對經濟的長期不利影響。官員腐敗和政府掠奪私人資本如今已司空見慣。總之，由於管理不善，美國經濟將面臨艱難的未來。
在內政方面，美國飽受許多弊病困擾。兩大政黨之間尖銳的政治分歧使得政府無法有效統治國家。最高法院裁定美國總統可以犯下任何罪行而免於檢舉，這打開了獨裁体制的大門。白宮常透過媒體攻擊、大學、律師事務所和政治對手，系統性地扼殺言論自由。當聯邦法院法官裁定政府的某些行為違法時，例如將合法移民驅逐出境，該裁決往往被置之不理，法官本人遭到譴責，有時甚至其家人也受到死亡威脅。一些國會議員也面臨類似的死亡威脅。因此，作為民主基石的法治正被消滅。
自冷戰結束後，美國大幅削減國防開支和軍隊規模。國防工業萎縮。五角大廈在地球、太空和網路空間的高科技武器系統研發方面均落後。美國軍力薄弱，無力應對日益動盪危險的世界之挑戰，而世界正走向大國軍事衝突。
俄羅斯領導人普丁意圖收復前蘇聯的舊領土，並壓制西歐。習近平希望中國主宰世界，他必須先摧毀美國阻撓中國復興的能力。
白宮的2025年國家安全戰略（NSS）輕視中國對美國本土安全的致命威脅，並揭露種族偏見。該戰略充斥著空洞的承諾，例如，美國將促進開放和平的印太地區，而實際上，美國幾乎沒有採取任何措施來阻止該地區的衝突。因此，當解放軍入侵台灣時，美國出手援助台灣的可能性微乎其微。
《國家安全戰略》是美國走向孤立與衰退的藍圖。
日本首相高市早苗近日表示，中國對台灣的攻擊或封鎖將對日本的生存構成威脅。如果台灣淪陷，解放軍將控制台灣週邊的海運航線和空域，危脅日本的生命線。因此，我尊重高市首相的見識和坦誠之直言。然而，台灣不能期待曰本的介入。習近平只要威脅以原子彈攻擊東京和大阪，任何美國總統都不會犧牲紐育以及華盛頓去保護曰本的城市。
台灣作為一個自由民主國家的生存日益岌岌可危。
面對日益增長的中國威脅，台灣數十年來一直執行單方面裁軍。李登輝擔任總統時，台灣現役軍人人數為45萬人，如今已降至16萬人。多年來，儘管美國多次敦促提高國防開支，但台灣的國防開支多年來仍維持在GDP的2.5%左右。直到最近，台灣的兵役期限從兩年縮短至四個月。預備役士兵的訓練也時斷時續，敷衍了事。
民進黨政府堅持保留「中華民國」（ROC）作為台灣的國名，這阻擋了台灣人獨特民族意識的形成，並引發外國對台灣最終的意圖是要將台灣拱手讓給中國的疑慮。
台灣人民繼續唱國民黨國歌，並在台北紀念館崇拜蔣介石的雕像。 蔣介石是1947年3月下令屠殺28,000名台灣人的獨裁者。
民進黨政府口口聲聲談論轉形正義，卻從未採取任何實際行動。台灣人民的這種自取其辱、奴隸牲的行為，招致了國際社會的蔑視。
那麼，台灣人民為何對即將到來的大屠殺如此麻木不仁？因為台灣媒體充斥親中宣傳，政府也從未費心向民眾揭露中共的野蠻本性。
毛澤東發動的大躍進期間，四千萬中國人死於飢荒。 1989年，解放軍在天安門廣場屠殺了數千名抗議學生。然而中共從未承認這些暴行。
上世紀五十年代，中華人民共和國透過屠殺和飢荒，殺害了125萬藏人，佔藏族人口的四分之一。台灣比西藏更引人注目。中國不可能屠殺六百萬台灣人，但屠殺一、兩百萬台灣人幾乎是必然的。民主價值對中共來說是絕不可接受的詛咒，而台灣自1996年以來已經發展成為一個民主政體。黑幫分子和國民黨成員正竭力從內部摧毀台灣社會，以助中國征服台灣。如果台灣淪陷，像馬英九和鄭麗文這樣的人將首當其衝。自1945年以來，中國難民得以在台灣繁榮發展，全賴台灣人民的慷慨幫助。然而，這些忘恩負義之徒卻想將他們的恩人送上斷頭台，淪為奴隸。中共絕不會信任這種姦詐之徒。
中國奉行「保島不保民」的政策。數百萬台灣人將被驅逐到中國內陸偏僻地區，例如西藏、新疆以及與東西伯利亞接境的東北地區，以幫助開發這些地區並抹殺台灣人的民族意識。
面對解放軍日益增長的軍事威脅、內部顛覆以及國際支持的不確定性，台灣能否作為一個獨立的民主政體生存？我認為答案是肯定的。
台灣擁有近2400萬人口，經濟實力雄厚，科技發達。絕大多數台灣人民認同自己是台灣人，並願意為捍衛台灣的民主而戰。為了充分發揮台灣的自衛潛力，政府必須迅速採取以下措施。
首先，為了促進真正的團結和提振士氣，賴清德政府必須從台灣的名稱中去除「中華民國」的字樣。在《舊金山和約》中，日本放棄了對台灣和澎湖列島的主權，但並未指定受益者。中華民國政府顯然對台灣沒有主權。台灣的國際地位至今仍未確定。現在正是時候放棄中華民國憲制秩序，建立臨時台灣政府，以實現台灣人民的自決權。國民黨國歌應予棄用，蔣介石雕像應予移除。
其次，參與顛覆活動的黑幫分子、國民黨和台灣民眾黨立法委員應被逮捕並遣送中國或其他國家。軍隊中被抓獲的間諜一經定罪，必須處死。
第三，實行男女皆須服役的徵兵制度，義務服役兩年。同時，擴大並加強後備部隊的訓練。
第四，台灣需要儲備戰略石油，天然氣、糧食、武器彈藥，以應對持久戰。
第五，台灣必須大規模建造無人作戰平台和無人機。
第六，建立健全的民防體系，盡量減少平民傷亡。
最後，必須依照美國總統川普的要求，將國防開支提高到GDP的10%。
台灣可以藉鏡以色列和芬蘭的經驗。以色列雖然是個小國，但從未戰敗。它每年從美國獲得數十億美元的經濟和軍事援助。然而，以色列的國防開支佔GDP的9%。賴總統計劃將台灣國防預算提高到GDP的5% 固然值得稱讚，但這還遠遠不夠。與以色列相比，台灣是脆弱得多。那麼，為何台灣的國防開支要低於以色列呢？
芬蘭也是一個小國，卻有一個強大的鄰國企圖吞併它。二戰初期，史達林與希特勒簽署了臨時和平協議，隨後於1939年11月率領百萬紅軍入侵芬蘭。兵力僅35萬的芬蘭軍隊英勇抵抗，擊斃15萬紅軍士兵，自身傷亡2.5萬人。史達林為了保存軍力應對即將到來的與德國的戰爭，放棄了吞併芬蘭的計劃，雙方於1940年3月達成停火協議。
如今，芬蘭是北約成員國。它加強了與俄羅斯長達830英里的邊境防禦，並準備隨時動員一支60萬人的軍隊，這相當於芬蘭人口的十分之一，以應對普丁可能發起的入侵。台灣海峽使台灣的防禦相對容易，因此台灣無需動員230萬人的軍隊。但至少需要一支由一百萬訓練有素、隨時可作戰的士兵組成的軍隊才能擊潰入侵的解放軍。
習近平對征服台灣的執念及其咄咄逼人的擴張主義是誤入歧途的。台灣一旦落入中華人民共和國之手，將引發一系列衝突，最終導致全球核戰。屆時，包括14億中國人口在內的大部分人類都將滅亡。如果台灣人民能夠擊敗解放軍的侵略者，那麼一批更明智的解放軍領導人可能推翻最高領導習近平。美國在國內政治和外交事務中都在奉行孤立和自我毀滅的路線。如果中國放棄吞併台灣的野心，並耐心執行更和平的全球外交政策，它就能成為世界唯一的超級大國，而無需犧牲任何一名中國士兵的生命。
透過保衛台灣，台灣人民不僅是為自己的生命、自由和尊嚴而戰，他們也將有助於避免世界末日，拯救人類免於滅絕。美國國歌以「自由之國土，勇者之家鄉」結尾。台灣人民也需要展現勇氣和堅定的決心，才能保持自由。
但願上帝保佑自由美國, 保佑自由台灣。
david chou
"其次，參與顛覆活動的黑幫分子、國民黨和台灣民眾黨立法委員應被逮捕並遣送中國或其他國家。軍隊中被抓獲的間諜一經定罪，必須處死。"
台灣人看著川普在正月初3派特種武裝人員，抓委內瑞拉總統轉來美國受審判的行動，普遍發出希望川普嘛來台灣，抓走這寡親支共的赤藍頭人和支那黨和民眾黨的支共走狗立委。嘿著是台灣人已經有覺醒，看破危害咱民族生存的內部敵人，總是提議的解決方式，卻是一種典型無自尊的奴才思維！
我第一擺讀著女黑奴革命家Harriet Tubman的故事之時，予我足受著啟示的是，當我讀著：Tubman有一擺倒轉去南方導一群黑奴逃走的過程中，當痟想抓怹轉去領賞金的幾個白人接近之時，Tubman開槍嚇走彼寡白人，保護伊幫助要予怹得著自由的黑奴，其中有一個黑奴竟然問講，呼，咱會使舉槍對白人開槍喔！
Tubman大約是1822出世在馬利蘭州東海岸地區的奴隸，因為毋願忍受奴隸主經常的虐待，在1849放落丈夫和家庭，孤身逃走到費城得著自由。了後，伊無顧危險，前後13擺覕(bih)轉去家鄉，幫助家己的親人和奴隸朋友，導怹通過當時「廢奴運動者」(Abolitionist)所建立的「地下鐵路」(Underground Railroad)得到自由，前後攏總70幾人，無失落半個。雖然伊頭殼掛到4萬箍美金的賞金，真濟屑想大條賞金的人要抓伊，在每一擺的拯救行動，伊攏紮槍和信心，敢無躊躇對企圖抓怹的人開槍自衛，予隨伊逃走的黑奴嘛得到安全感和信心，無人出賣過伊。非裔美國人攏尊稱伊「摩西」。
在此咱會當有3點感想：
1. 予外來體制壓迫的民族，著愛家己有行動決心和堅持追求民族解放的意志，呣通一日到暗咁哪痟想外國政府來替咱解決問題，Tubman受美國社會包括白人的尊敬，著是因為敢採取行動自救和救仝受壓迫的黑奴；
2. 認為祙使「違法」反抗壓迫體制，這種想法著是被壓迫者的一種奴性，當時南方的法律禁止奴隸有槍，Tubman呣但「違法」紮槍，閣敢對「合法」追抓怹的白人開槍。
3. 3F開創者之1的盧主義先生，在1月初2發表3F70冬的感言《保持自由台灣》，嘛就台灣目前的困境和前景發表伊的看法。伊公開呼籲賴清德：著將目前參與顛覆活動的黑幫份子、支那黨和民眾黨的立委逮捕並遣送怹去支那或其他國家。咱台灣人討論這件代誌的行動方案，請大家棄捨甚麼「合法、合憲」的奴性思維。
david chou
在當今這個規則被反覆踐踏、價值被刻意顛倒的國際局勢中，美國對委內瑞拉的介入，儘管存在違反國際法形式正義的爭議，卻未必是錯誤的選擇，甚至可以說，是亂世之中不得不為的現實手段。
國際法與聯合國體系的前提，是各國至少願意尊重基本規則，然而當獨裁政權一再證明自己只利用規則、卻從不遵守規則時，形式上的合法性，反而成了民主國家自縛手腳的枷鎖。
委內瑞拉在馬杜洛政權長期統治下，早已喪失有效治理能力，選舉淪為表演，軍警與黑幫、毒品網絡糾纏不清，國家資源成為中俄勢力與腐敗菁英瓜分的戰利品。這樣的體制，不僅傷害其本國人民，也透過難民潮、治安惡化與能源操弄，持續外溢風險。
如果國際社會仍以「不干涉內政」作為最高道德標準，實際上等同默許獨裁者以主權之名，對內壓迫、對外輸出混亂。
美國選擇以極短時間、極低外溢成本的方式解決問題，正是「亂世用重典」的體現。電擊式的斬首行動，固然冷酷，卻可能比長期制裁、代理人戰爭或內戰更少犧牲。這也向世界傳遞了一個殘酷但清晰的訊號，那就是當民主世界真的下定決心，獨裁政權並非不可撼動。這一點，對北京、莫斯科與平壤而言，心理震撼要遠遠勝過千篇聲明。
更值得注意的是，在採取軍事行動之前，川普選擇先與日本首相高市早苗通話。這不是禮節，而是戰略訊號。它象徵日美同盟並非口頭承諾，而是真正納入行動前的決策鏈核心夥伴關係。對台灣而言，這一點尤其關鍵，因為真正的安全，不在於敵人說了什麼，而在於盟友在關鍵時刻會做什麼。
當習近平、普丁、金正恩看到一個反美政權在極短時間內被瓦解時，他們心中浮現的，恐怕不是道德譴責，而是切身的顫抖不安。獨裁者最害怕的，從來不是輿論，而是不確定性，尤其是不知道「紅線」究竟在哪裡。
當邪惡以制度、法律與資訊戰作為武器時，還迂腐地用道德說教回應，無異於自我麻醉。委內瑞拉事件提醒我們，國際秩序若要存在，終究需要有人願意承擔骯髒而沉重的責任。或許這並不完美，但在一個正在滑向強權叢林的世界裡，沒有這樣的力量，規則只會成為獨裁者的玩具。
Taitzer Wang
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david chou
自由時報社論》全球民主陣營的公敵
https://talk.ltn.com.tw/article/paper/1741359
藍白一再以各種藉口杯葛一．二五兆元國防特別預算，不但弱化台灣的自衛能力，更將造成民主陣營第一島鏈的破口。美國在台協會處長谷立言直言，「自由並非平白得來的」，美國能幫助朋友的程度，取決於其自助的努力，支持台灣將國防支出提升至GDP的五％，並點名「一．二五兆新台幣的特別預算」是達成此目標的關鍵方式之一；但藍白顯然並不領情，仍然第九次封殺特別條例付委。
反對黨立委拒審強化台灣防衛韌性的國防預算，似乎在重演在陳水扁任內杯葛採購柴電潛艦預算覆議，當年軍購不成使台灣強化國防出現空窗期，中台之間軍力差距逐漸擴大。從蔡英文總統到賴清德總統，大力進行強化國防的補破網。而在這一段時間，國際大環境出現了翻天覆地的變化，由於中共不但在國內實施數位獨裁體制，更強化軍力，對外擴張，意圖推動所謂「中華民族偉大復興」，嚴重威脅自由世界的安全，台灣則首當其衝。歐美民主國家將中國引進全球經貿體系，期盼能經由經濟發展，促成政治改革，如今則大失所望。因此，在川普第一任期時，引爆美中貿易戰，其後更擴大至科技戰、金融戰以及軍事對抗，等於在全球的地緣政治與地緣經濟上，美國徹底與中國脫鉤。而台灣則處境非常微妙，一方面受益於美中貿易戰，成為民主供應鏈關鍵核心；另一方面卻是中國完成「祖國完全統一」的獵物，國家安全受到嚴重威脅。
美台一向是堅定的盟友，《台灣關係法》確立一旦台灣受到中共武力進犯，美國必須協助台灣自衛。尤有甚者，川普最近公布的《國家安全戰略》明確表達透過絕對實力遏阻中國重塑全球秩序，並強調台灣的地緣戰略與半導體關鍵地位。然而此際川普改變了美國維護全球安全的策略，不願獨自擔負防衛全球和平的責任，而是要求盟友共同承擔，在印太戰略上，要求日、韓提高國防預算。因而第一島鏈從日本、菲律賓到第二島鏈的澳洲，無不大幅調高國防預算；日本增加一倍、菲律賓增加近十％。但被經濟學人指稱，地表上最危險地方的台灣，面對「二〇二七年中共犯台」傳言甚囂塵上之際，藍白卻一再封殺國防特別預算，才會促使谷立言代表美國公開力挺賴政府的一．二五兆元國防特別預算。可悲的是，親中派領導下的藍白仍不把國家安全放在心裡，以拒審國防特別條例、總預算，揚言嚴審台美關稅協議，作為向習近平輸誠的投名狀。
令人厭惡的是，藍白口頭上宣稱支持提高國防預算，另一方面卻一再以欠缺正當性的藉口阻擋國防預算。例如，要求賴清德赴立法院並接受立委諮詢，但憲法法庭判決，強調總統無義務向立院報告。況且藍白立委要求「即問即答」，只是意圖羞辱賴總統而已。坦言之，藍白若真正有心要了解軍購的詳情，實際上出席預算審查的國防部人士，更能給予專業的解說，可見藍白不求諸專業，卻劍指賴清德，司馬昭之心，路人皆知。
此外，也有人要賴總統保證通過一．二五兆元國防預算後，中共軍機不再飛越海峽中線。這也是邏輯錯亂的思維，中共軍機常飛越台海中線不就是認為台灣防衛力不強，才敢如此造次，一旦包括精準打擊及不對稱戰力等台灣之盾建構完成，將會使中共有所顧慮、收斂。而且，共軍要不要跨過海峽中線，應該問的是習近平而非賴清德。由上述種種理由看來，藍白支持提高國防是假，阻擋國家防衛能力提升才是真正的目的。
美國與第一島鏈國家都在強化國防，對台灣安全的關心甚至超過藍白。尤其是日本，高市早苗提出「台灣有事」論，雖受中共施以各種威脅反制卻始終不改其志，堅守理念的意志令人佩服。更值得重視的是，高市解散國會的一個重要的考量，乃是當前局勢正變得愈發嚴峻，中國軍隊在台灣周邊舉行演習，而且試圖以經濟脅迫施壓他國屈服、接受其主張。她強調，沒有國民的支持，無法展開強而有力的外交安保政策。高市更強調，「沒有守護自己國家的決心，就不會有人出手相助」。偉哉斯言，藍白的護台之心若能與高市相比，就不會一再拒審國防特別預算。
據傳，近期有來自華府的重要人士密訪台灣，在與國民黨高層接觸後，對其阻擋國防預算的理由感到極度不解與失望，因而將這些阻礙台灣強化自衛能力的政客形容為「台灣安全的敵人（Enemy of Taiwan Security）」。
david chou
繼我們不公開的建議之後, Michael Turton公開建議美國政府, 要對台灣的反美.親支勢力開刀(I)
高齡93的盧主義(李天福)前輩的近作: "保持自由台灣" (V)
Mike建議華盛頓, 要對台灣的境內敵對勢力 [Enemies Within, 對美國人而言, 是Hostile Force] 開刀, 他建議: 現在就要採取行動.
"US official criticism of the pro-China parties over the defense budget, both direct and indirect, is commonly reported in the media. What is lacking is US action."
=================
Appendix
Notes from Central Taiwan: Time for US to act on Taiwan defense budget
Words of disappointment will not move Taiwan’s pro-China parties — only concrete US pressure will break the defense budget deadlock
By Michael Turton / Contributing reporter
Mon, Feb 09, 2026 page 12
Notes from Central Taiwan: Time for US to act on Taiwan defense budget - Taipei Times
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In 2012, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) heroically seized residences belonging to the family of former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), “purchased with the proceeds of alleged bribes,” the DOJ announcement said. “Alleged” was enough. Strangely, the DOJ remains unmoved by the any of the extensive illegality of the two Leninist authoritarian parties that held power in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and Taiwan. If only Chen had run a one-party state that imprisoned, tortured and murdered its opponents, his property would have been completely safe from DOJ action.
I must also note two things in the interests of completeness. First, none of the parties involved in bribing Chen forfeited any of their numerous assets in the US, nor did their families. Second, as the US was announcing this, Chen’s prison warden was attending a dinner with powerful Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) politicians, such as vice president Wu Den-yih (吳敦義) and Chen Wei-min (陳尉民), a former Bamboo Union gang mafia boss. Clearly, historical irony is the main form of communication between gods and men.
This egregiously unjust act by the DOJ has been much in my mind lately as I listen to complaints from US legislators and from the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), the officially unofficial US representative office, about the legislators from the two pro-Beijing parties, the KMT and the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP), who are blocking the military budget. For example, last week Senator Roger Wicker of Mississippi said on X: “I’m disappointed to see Taiwan’s opposition parties in parliament slash President [William} Lai’s (賴清德) defense budget so dramatically,” adding, “The original proposal funded urgently needed weapons systems. Taiwan’s parliament should reconsider — especially with rising Chinese threats.”
[President William Lai on Feb. 3 speaks at a press conference in Taipei about the latest round of economic talks with the US. Photo: Reuters]
“Disappointed?” In Taiwan “disappointment” is pronounced “backlog” — to the tune of US$21 billion in weapons systems that have yet to be delivered.
Similarly, Senator Dan Sullivan stated on X: “I’ve warned before — short changing Taiwan’s defense to kowtow to the [Chinese Communist Party] CCP is playing with fire.” What fire is coming, Senator? Nothing but words so far.
The Liberty Times, the Taipei Times’ sister paper, compiled a list of 7 times since November that AIT had emphasized the importance of the defense budget, Taiwan defense spending and US-Taiwan defense cooperation, including AIT Director Raymond Greene’s much-repeated comment that “freedom is not free.”
[Former president Tsai Ing-wen in September 2023 attends the launching ceremony of Narwhal, the first domestically built submarine, in Kaohsiung. Photo: Reuters]
The US, alas, does not appear to realize that this comment points in both directions: the US is going to have to impose costs on itself if it wants Taiwan’s pro-China parties to move in the right direction. Thus far, it has been reluctant to do so.
HARDBALL
US official criticism of the pro-China parties over the defense budget, both direct and indirect, is commonly reported in the media. What is lacking is US action. At the moment, the US is simply rewarding those parties by doing nothing concrete to compel them to move on the budget. And behavior that is rewarded is repeated.
[A soldier last month waves a Taiwanese flag during a military exercise at a military facility in Taichung’s Sinshe District. Photo: Bloomberg]
The US has many powerful levers it could use to get the pro-China parties to move. On X followers of US legislators who post on this issue typically respond with requests that the US block or terminate visas for politicians from the KMT and TPP and for their families. Consider how many relatives of powerful KMT members have green cards and student visas. Could pressure be applied there?
Even a go-slow on visas for politicians and their families would be a low-grade signal to these parties that US tolerance for their behavior is thin. That would give the US latitude for scaling a response, if their behavior doesn’t change. Limiting visas would also be a fitting way to signal US displeasure with the flow of KMT visits to the PRC, which give every appearance of enabling coordination of policy between PRC authorities and the KMT. Such coordination is good neither for the US nor for Taiwan. Time to act on it, and speak loudly about it.
Another action the US could take is to suspend meetings with KMT and TPP officials. Last month TPP Chair Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) led a TPP delegation to Washington, where he met with officials from the US National Security Council (NSC) and AIT. Predictably, the defense budget was discussed. The TPP has long indicated it will not play ball, making such meetings a waste of time. The US is simply providing the two parties with amusing free entertainment and satisfying external validation of their power. Just stop.
Some have called for family members of KMT and TPP politicians to be stripped of their US citizenship. I do not support this: stripping naturalized citizens of their citizenship is grossly antithetical to American values. Besides, surely it would be more effective for the US to somehow publicize which politicians’ family members are US citizens, with hints that more revelations are forthcoming.
REMINDERS
The public could use some periodic reminders that while the KMT is willing to call down the PRC and its troops on Taiwan, it has built its elites boltholes in the west. That would also help blunt the oft-heard KMT propaganda that Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) politicians will be helicoptered to safety under US protection in the event of a PRC attack.
Indeed, one way the US could respond to KMT and TPP obstructionism is to more pointedly and bluntly address their numerous propaganda claims in AIT and US official communications. That would be a small thing, yet it would indicate a hardening that could be dialed up or scaled back, as necessary. More difficult, but potentially powerful, would be to put pressure on the businesses of the big businessmen backing the KMT.
Another failure of the US criticisms is the isolation of the defense budget from the rest of the KMT/TPP coalition’s attacks on governance. The budget remains blocked, which means that other budget items important to the US, such as Taiwan government purchases of US products, or funding for non-military cooperative programs, remain in limbo. The US should expand its criticisms to include the entirety of KMT/TPP obstructionism. Properly spending defense funds requires that the government be fully fed and watered.
Readers may contend that this would be burning bridges to the KMT and TPP that the US might need. Anyone with extensive experience listening to KMTers speak privately and candidly (i.e. drunkenly) about the US knows that KMT politicians and supporters who consider themselves Chinese fear and hate the US for usurping China’s rightful place in the universe. In their minds there are no bridges to the US.
I know that some are thinking of more hardball tactics involving tax audits or asset forfeiture investigations. I do not support that sort of abuse of power, especially since many of the targets would be US citizens.
Nor am I requesting that the US government seize the assets of KMT politicians and their families. That particular act of justice should have been performed long before anyone in the US had ever heard of Chen Shui-bian. It should not come as cheap retaliation for the failure of the current KMT and TPP to pass the defense budget.
Regardless, the time for talk has passed. The US must act.
Notes from Central Taiwan is a column written by long-term resident Michael Turton, who provides incisive commentary informed by three decades of living in and writing about his adoptive country. The views expressed here are his own.
david chou
繼我們不公開的建議之後, Michael Turton公開建議美國政府, 要對台灣的反美.親支勢力開刀(I)
高齡93的盧主義(李天福)前輩的近作: "保持自由台灣" (V)
[昨天發出, 但沒有出現在BATA, 今天再發一次]
Mike建議華盛頓, 要對台灣的境內敵對勢力 [Enemies Within, 對美國人而言, 是Hostile Force] 開刀, 他建議: 現在就要採取行動.
Mike說:
"US official criticism of the pro-China parties over the defense budget, both direct and indirect, is commonly reported in the media. What is lacking is US action."
=================
Appendix
Notes from Central Taiwan: Time for US to act on Taiwan defense budget
Words of disappointment will not move Taiwan’s pro-China parties — only concrete US pressure will break the defense budget deadlock
By Michael Turton / Contributing reporter
Mon, Feb 09, 2026 page 12
Notes from Central Taiwan: Time for US to act on Taiwan defense budget - Taipei Times
|
david chou
繼我們不公開的建議之後, Michael Turton公開建議美國政府, 要對台灣的反美.親支勢力開刀(II)
高齡93的盧主義(李天福)前輩的近作: "保持自由台灣" (VI)
Review status of relatives of opposition: ex-Marine
DEFENSE: The US should cancel the US visas or green cards of relatives of KMT and TPP lawmakers who have been blocking the budget, Grant Newsham said
Tue, Feb 17, 2026 page2
A retired US Marine Corps officer has suggested canceling the US green cards and visas of relatives of opposition Taiwanese lawmakers who have been stalling the review of a proposed NT$1.25 trillion (US$39.7 billion) special defense budget.
The Executive Yuan has proposed the budget for major weapons purchases over eight years, from this year to 2033.
However, opposition lawmakers have refused to review the proposal, demanding that President William Lai (賴清德) first appear before the Legislative Yuan to answer questions about the proposed budget.
[Retired US Marine Corps officer Grant Newsham is pictured in an undated photograph.]
Photo: Screen grab from Newsham’s X account
On Thursday last week, 37 bipartisan US lawmakers sent a letter to Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜), the heads of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Taiwan’s People Party, as well as the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus whip, expressing concern about the legislature stalling proposed defense spending.
The letter urged “Taiwan to pass the full special defense budget,” as “the threat posed by Communist China against Taiwan has never been greater,” US Senator Pete Ricketts, who led the letter, wrote on X.
US Representative Anna Paulina Luna, who also signed the letter, posted it on X, writing; “I stand with my colleagues in Congress urging the Legislative Yuan to back President Lai and fund his FULL defense budget proposal.”
Grant Newsham, a retired US Marine Corps officer who currently serves as senior research fellow at the Japan Forum for Strategic Studies, on Saturday shared Luna’s X post, adding that they should also ask the US Department of State to cancel US visas and green cards of relatives of KMT and TPP lawmakers.
“This congressional support is important. But too many KMT / TPP politicians are pro-PRC. More effective ... cancel USA visas and green cards of KMT/TPP politicians’ relatives,” Newsham said, referring to the People’s Republic of China.
Newsham previously testified before the US Congress and has decades of experience in the Indo-Pacific region, having served as an intelligence officer in the Marine Forces Pacific and helping Japan establish its amphibious forces, US congressional documents show.
He has long been involved in US military strategy in the Indo-Pacific region and his 2023 book When China Attacks: A Warning to America made the Amazon bestseller list.
In response to the joint letter by the US lawmakers, Democratic Progressive Party caucus chief executive Chung Chia-pin (鍾佳濱) on Friday said that the US expects Taiwan to fulfill its self-defense obligations.
KMT spokesman Niu Hsu-ting (牛煦庭) at the time said his party would respond to US concerns, but would not compromise on overseeing the budget.
The TPP caucus said that defense spending is highly sensitive, and it is not exempt from oversight and accountability.
david chou
繼我們不公開的建議之後, Michael Turton公開建議美國政府, 要對台灣的反美/親支勢力開刀(III)
高齡93的盧主義(李天福)前輩的近作: "保持自由台灣" (VII)
=============================
Appendix
Trump Says He’s Talking About Taiwan Arms Sales With Xi
By Micah McCartney
Newsweek China News Reporter
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
Published
Feb 17, 2026 at 08:32 AM EST
updated
Feb 17, 2026 at 08:33 AM EST
Newsweek has contacted Taiwan's de facto embassy in the U.S. for comment via email.
Why It Matters
The U.S. is Taiwan's top source of arms, as stipulated by the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act, which calls for Washington to provide sufficient means to help the island "resist coercion" and preserve regional peace. China views Taiwan as its territory, and Xi has repeatedly said unification is inevitable.
Washington's long-held "Six Assurances" to Taiwan include not consulting with Beijing about arms sales to Taipei, meaning Trump may have infringed on the policy depending on the nature of his talks with Xi.
On a February 4 phone call with Trump, Xi stressed that Taiwan was the "most important issue in China-U.S. relations," according to a Chinese Foreign Ministry readout. The timing of Trump's statement is also sensitive, coming 10 days after reports that the administration was mulling a major arms package to follow the $11 billion deal approved in December—the largest to date for Taiwan.
The new potential deal, which remains "in flux," could be even larger and would include Patriot missiles, NASAMS surface-to-air missiles and two other weapons systems, the Financial Times wrote earlier this month, citing sources familiar with the matter.
U.S. 'Assurances'
"I've talked to him about it. We had a good conversation, and we'll make a determination pretty soon," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on Monday when asked to respond to Xi's warning about the arms sales.
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"We have a very good relationship with President Xi," Trump continued, adding that he planned to visit China in April for talks widely expected to build on the trade truce agreed during their last in-person meeting in Busan, South Korea, in October.
It appears to be the first time a U.S. president has publicly disclosed that the future of arms sales was being discussed with Beijing, Bonnie Glaser, the managing director of the Indo-Pacific program at the German Marshall Fund, told The Japan Times.
That could amount to a breach of Washington's "Six Assurances" to Taiwan—a series of commitments hashed out by the Reagan administration in 1982. "It is unlikely, however, that he is negotiating with Xi on this issue," Glaser said.
The assurances, while nonbinding, underpin relations with the island alongside the Taiwan Relations Act—specifically the third assurance, not to consult with China in advance about decisions regarding arms sales to Taiwan.
"It's anybody's guess whether Trump really is 'talking to' Xi about U.S. arms sales to Taiwan," Paul Heer, a diplomatic historian and former senior official for East Asia at the U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence, wrote on X. "If he was, that would arguably be a violation of the 'Six Assurances' to Taiwan. But then Trump doesn't know or care about those assurances and won't be bound by them."
Other assurances include not setting an end date for arms sales, not altering the terms of the Taiwan Relations Act, not mediating between Taipei and Beijing and not formally recognizing Chinese sovereignty over Taiwan or pressuring Taipei to enter into negotiations, as the matter is to be decided peacefully by both parties.
Budget Deadlock
The future of the landmark December deal and others also hinges on Taiwan's legislature. Approval of a 23 percent higher defense budget for 2026 pursued by President Lai Ching-te has ground to a halt, with the opposition—Kuomintang and its junior partner the Taiwan People's Party—holding a majority.
Opposition lawmakers have said they support modest increases to the defense budget but have accused Lai of operating without transparency. Ahead of the legislature's ongoing Lunar New Year break, the TPP put forward a special defense budget of $12.7 billion, about 68 percent smaller than the $40 billion special defense budget that Lai called for, and which would exclude support for several major items in the potential sale the U.S. approved in December.
What People Are Saying
Democratic Senator Tammy Duckworth of Illinois told Newsweek: "Taiwan is a crucial strategic partner for the U.S. in the Indo-Pacific, and it's critical that they have the resources and funding to fully invest in their self-defense as they face escalating threats from the PRC [People’s Republic of China]."
"For years, my colleagues and I have worked across the aisle to aid Taiwan as it seeks to strengthen its security, and that bipartisan commitment remains strong. Our Congressional coalition will continue doing all we can to reiterate that the U.S. is committed to the future of Taiwan."
What Happens Next
Xi has directed the People's Liberation Army to develop the capability to move against Taiwan by 2027, senior U.S. defense and intelligence officials have warned. They added that the timeline did not mean an invasion was planned for that year. An invasion of the island, the source of 90 percent of the world's advanced chips, would roil global supply chains and likely trigger an economic recession, a congressional commission warned in a November report.