TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Outspoken Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Taipei City Councilor Wang Shih-chien (王世堅) was attacked as a China sympathizer following his criticism of the party’s Taoyuan City mayoral candidate accused of plagiarism, reports said Thursday (Aug. 11).

National Taiwan University (NTU) announced on Aug. 9 it was stripping Lin Chih-chien (林智堅) of his master’s degree because it had found sufficient evidence indicating plagiarism. Despite the announcement, Lin maintained his claims of innocence, receiving the support of most DPP leaders.

However, Wang disputed Lin’s logic, warning that the affair could damage the ruling party in the Nov. 26 local and regional elections. Due to his criticism, he was labeled a “Chinese fellow traveler” by other DPP supporters, he said, claiming that the party was preparing disciplinary action against him.

The verbal attacks on Wang led Taipei City Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) to say President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) was forcing the public to choose between the DPP or NTU. Tsai, who chairs the ruling party, has stood by Lin, indicating she will support him to continue his bid for mayor.

Ko’s deputy, Huang Shan-shan (黃珊珊), said on Facebook that she had never expected to see the day when Wang, who had worked so hard and so long for the DPP, would be labeled a Communist sympathizer. She said NTU’s opinion should be respected as it came from a prestigious academic institution. “If NTU was a Communist fellow traveler, then everybody should be a Communist fellow traveler,” Huang wrote.